


Pokemon EDventures: Johto Journey

by Gusto_on_Ao3



Category: Ed Edd n Eddy, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Dirty Jokes occasionally, Emotional rollercoasters, Fighting Team Rocket, Group Dynamic Alterations, Intense Gym Battles, Learning New Mechanics, MAJOR CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, These tags will be Edited when Necessary, They start only knowing Gen 1, appearance changes, bad language, shenanigans with Ryuji
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:47:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 63,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26070622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gusto_on_Ao3/pseuds/Gusto_on_Ao3
Summary: If you were given a chance to go to another world, would you do it? Given the chance by one Ryuji Kazama from the Kanto Region, the kids of the Cul-De-Sac embark into the world of Pokemon. The Eds have been fans and know their way around battling... or so they think. So much has changed, and so much is unknown to them. But they must deal with the changes as they come. Even if it means changing them in ways they'd never have expected...(Also posted on Fanfiction.Net, rating and tags may change later)
Kudos: 3





	1. EDventure of a Lifetime

**So, this is my first time posting on Ao3, and it's a fanfic from my account on fanfiction.net. I'm posting it here in the hopes of sharing my work with another audience. I don't know if anyone over here is that interested in the idea of an Ed Edd n Eddy/Pokemon crossover, but if you are, feel free to give it a read. If you like it, comment, and do all that other fun stuff we do on here.**

**But I digress. Welcome to 'Pokemon EDventures: Johto Journey'!**

* * *

The Cul-De-Sac was alive as the last days of summer were being thoroughly enjoyed by its inhabitants. The energy was palpable, as many played the day away like they had many summers before. And this summer in particular, there was a certain sense of levity that had not been had just a year before.

It amazed everyone how quickly that things could change, especially since only a year before, the Cul-De-Sac was divided in a sense. But after a wild journey and several revelations, the schism was mended, and everyone became a bit closer.

Currently, the many kids were at the lake, everyone enjoying the cool water to beat the insufferable morning heat. The youngest two were making a sand castle, the boys were out using the reinstalled rope swing in order to pull off their best dives, and the one most sought-after girl was working on her tan. All was as it should be, with the exception of one member of a group of three.

"Let's see... Nidoking's looking good at Level 57, Charizard's all the way up at Level 59, Lapras is Level 54, Machamp's at Level 56, Zapdos is at Level 55, and Tauros is at Level 56."

With this, a smile graced the young teenager's lips, as he ran a hand through his long black hair. His aqua eyes glanced over the movesets shown on the screen of his Game Boy, and he nodded in affirmation. He thought it was finally time for him to take on the Pokemon League.

The last time had not gone well for him, as he ended up being utterly dominated by Agatha's final Gengar. It sucked to get stopped two before the end, especially since he wasn't getting tips from anyone. He knew Double D had already beaten Pokemon Blue, but as a matter of personal pride, he wanted to beat it without anyone's assistance. And now, after a good amount of grinding and using his Master Ball on the Legendary Electric type, he was much more confident.

And so, like before, he returned to Indigo Plateau, ready to kick some ass.

During the fight with Lorelei, Thunderbolts and Fire Blasts were flying, and he breezed through her team much like last time. Up next on the list came Bruno, who had both Onix taken down in a single Surf each, and then from there, it was a matter of counting Drill Pecks. And back to Agatha, he took in a breath, and started with his Nidoking.

This time, Hypnosis missed, meaning Eddy had the edge. One Earthquake checked the first Gengar, and from there, his momentum only continued to build. One X Speed was all he needed on Arbok, and from there, it was a slaughter. Earthquake after Earthquake was thrown, and no matter the opponent, they all seemed to buckle under the pressure. This culminated as the final Gengar appeared on the scene.

"We meet again, you ugly bastard," Eddy jokes, as he hoped that he would outspeed it, or at least get lucky with Hypnosis again. One simple press of A sealed his fate, as he watched to see if he would finally make it to Lance...

"Oh Eddy!"

A chill ran up the young gamer's spine as he heard an all too familiar and all too dreaded voice. He didn't dare look up, as that would only confirm that his worst nightmare had come to fruition. But there was no denying it either way. There was only one person with a voice like that.

"Kankers?"

"Awww, he remembers us." Another voice declares, this one a bit more mischievous. "So then, you boys miss us?"

Eddy looked up to see the three sisters who had spent last summer pining after him and his friends in creepy ways. To the left stood the resident blonde, May Kanker, in her typical grey t-shirt and red shorts, wearing the same dumb grin she'd always been known for. To the right was the resident blunette, Marie Kanker, in her black tank top and green jeans, with arms crossed and her smirk strong as ever. And right at the center was his own redheaded stalker, Lee Kanker, in her polka-dotted shirt and blue jeans.

Though he couldn't see her eyes, he could feel her staring him down, eyeing him like a piece of meat. And if that wasn't bad enough, one cursory glance let him know that they had something. Something in their hands, that made him immensely curious.

"Ah, I see he noticed these," Marie chimed off, holding out a small red and white orb. "Should we show him?"

"Yeah, why not?" Lee declared confidently, as she and her other two sisters threw the orbs into the air. In a brilliant flash of light, three small and wondrous creatures materialized in front of the boy, causing him to drop his Game Boy, and striking his interest like nothing before.

To the farthest left was a small plant-like creature, not too dissimilar in shape to a large seed, with cream colored feet and markings over two small eyes. The farthest right housed an unreasonably large white bug-like creature, with front limbs that looked designed for burrowing, and small wings on its sides. And right in the middle, there was a small creature, of dark and light greys, with a metalic shine over its entire body. But one look into its massive blue eyes told Eddy that it was aggressive, and had its eyes set on him.

But at the same time, there was something about the way they looked that had him thoroughly confused. From what he could infer, the Kankers had just thrown Poke Balls. And that would have to mean that these were... Pokemon? If so, they were not like any he'd seen, and he'd seen pretty much the whole Pokedex thanks to Double D.

"Looks like we've caught him off-guard," Marie laughed, as Eddy took a step away from the small beasts, "Now then, here's what's gonna happen. You're gonna help us get revenge on those little jerks for what they did."

"Those little... do you mean Kevin and the others?"

"Of course," Lee throws her arm over Eddy's shoulder with a grin. "After all, I can't let their crime against my little man go unpunished."

Eddy tensed, knowing Lee and her sisters to certainly be the vengeful types. "But there ain't no reason to go after 'em!"

"Really? After they tried to hurt you like they did?"

"A lot's changed."

"Eddy, sweetheart. So naive. Things don't change. They'll be back to tryin' to beat you when you let your guard down."

A slight groan escaped Eddy's lips upon hearing that. Just from her inflections, he was certain she was being genuine. And by the look on the girl's faces, there wasn't a damn thing he could do to talk them out of it.

"Well, I say we get to it girls. After all, we got these little guys, and we plan on using them."

"... They're gone."

Lee's expression went from smug to shocked in a heartbeat, as Eddy pointed out the fact that their Pokemon had vanished. "Where'd they go!?" she demanded, "Marie, you were supposed to be watchin' 'em!"

"What!? You said we were havin' May do that!"

"May can't even watch the possums, how do you expect her to watch those things!?"

"Hey, I watch the possums! Those things are way smarter than you guys know!"

Eddy shuffled to the sides as the sisters began to bicker among themselves. Once he had made his way out of their immediate field of vision, however, he was greeted with a much more horrific sight.

On the other side of the lake, the 'Pokemon' were already making their move. In the short time that they had been talking, the three creatures were bombarding his friends with attacks and trying to cause as much mayhem as conceivably possible. Kevin and Nazz were slammed into the rocks by the small metal thing's tackle attack, the seed beast was somehow shooting seeds that were pelting Sarah, Jimmy, and Rolf, and the bug was slashing away at his best friends' feet, forcing them to back away, screaming the whole time.

Eddy's fists clenched at the sight, but a part of him was stuck in place. After all, if these really were Pokemon, what could he really do? Even the smallest of Pokemon held great power, so how could he fight against that?

"Well, would you look at that," Lee's taunting voice continued on, only angering Eddy further. "Obedient little bastards, aren't they? Looks like your 'friends' are gettin' what's comin' to them."

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Eddy snapped back, his anger finally boiling over. "We were having a good day, and then you had to come and ruin it!"

"Whoa, easy Eddy. Why are you so worried about them, after last summer they tried to pummel you?"

"That was a year ago! We've all moved on! Now call off your dogs!"

"'Fraid I can't do that, hun. We still got a bone to pick with 'em, even if they've made you think they're your friends now. Now just sit back and watch the show..."

Eddy's fists were now clenched so hard he was certain he would make himself bleed. There was no reasoning with the Kankers - he knew that as well as anyone. But at the same time, as much as he wanted to retaliate, his mind was drawing a blank as to how he should. It was a battle in his mind between the side that was saying there was nothing, and the side determined to find something. Anything...

"FENNEKIN! USE EMBER!"

And with those three words, the latter side won out effortlessly.

Looking back, he saw another small beast, this time a mostly bright yellow with patches of red around it. Appearance-wise, it reminded him of a fox, and judging by the fact that it was shooting flames right out of its mouth, it was clearly another Pokemon. With it's flames, it took down the small seed creature in a single shot, and a grin covered Eddy's face once again. And said grin only got larger as the person he could only infer to be the 'Fennekin's' trainer came over.

"You three!" he demanded with a fury in his words. "Who the hell do you think you are using Pokemon to hurt people!?"

The three girls were shocked at this sudden wrench in the plan, but to Eddy, he was a godsend. Taking this opportunity, he stepped away as the young man was yelling at the three girls, and headed over to do what he could. First up and closest were his fellow Eds, who were stunned into place at the sight of a large cicada being set ablaze by a small fox.

"Get up, you two!" Eddy demanded, as the small fox set its sights on the iron beast. "We gotta get moving!"

"B-but Eddy," Double D stuttered, "What in the world is going on!? What are these creatures!?"

"Don't worry about that. I'm sure the guy will explain afterward!"

"Is it a Pokemon?" Ed questioned, "It shoots fire like Ash's Charizard!"

Seeing this wasn't going to go anywhere, Eddy proceeded to grab both of his friends by the collars and dragged them off. In the distance, he could see that Kevin and his usual crew were running away while Fennekin continued to release bursts of fire at the small iron beast. Sarah and Jimmy were already out of sight, and one glance back told him that their savior was effortlessly avoiding every strike that the Kankers tried to throw at him.

A sigh escaped Eddy's lips, and he looked forward, dead set on making it back to the neighborhood. Hopefully nothing would go wrong, and that guy would be able to stop the Kankers for now.

And then, just maybe, they could get some answers.

* * *

Heavy breaths and looks of shock greeted Eddy as he entered the street with everyone else. It was evident that they had about as much understanding of the situation as he did, further compounded by the tension in the air.

"Is everyone alright?" He questioned immediately. Everyone nodded, and his former rival Kevin appeared before the short boy.

"Alright Eddy, fess up," he demanded, "You know something about what the heck happened back there?"

"The Kankers are back. And those Pokemon belonged to them."

Kevin looked at Eddy as if he'd just grown a second head. "Are you serious? Grow up, Dorky, Pokemon don't exist!"

"Tell that to the fire breathing fox, Shovelchin!" Eddy spat back, "They threw 'em outta Poke Balls, so that's what they have to have been!"

"... Alright, whatever. But if that's the case, where the hell did they get 'em?"

"That's certainly a good question..." Double D piped in, finally standing up. "Clearly, if we do assume they were Pokemon, they were unlike any I'd ever seen, and I've got nearly the entire Pokedex completed."

"Well, they said there was a new Pokemon game comin' out soon," was Eddy's rationalization, "So ya think it might have been in that one?"

"Possibly, but that still would not explain how exactly they're here..."

And as if on cue, heavy footsteps could be heard from behind. Eddy turned back quickly, expecting the Kankers to have tailed them. But as it turned out, the only one there was their savior. And now that the adrenaline had died down a bit, Eddy could get a good look at him.

He looked to be about their age, possibly a year older if he had to guess. Appearance-wise, he definitely looked a bit out of place, kind of lanky, yet clearly very athletic, to mention nothing of the Poke Ball on his hip. His brown hair was long and shaggy, covering his right eye, and his skin was a light tan. He was dressed in a black t-shirt, blue jeans, a drawstring bag rested over his left shoulder, and red sneakers. At a second glance, he seemed rather unremarkable.

But then, Eddy got one good look at the boy's revealed left eye. There was something about that deep red that burned brighter than anything they had ever seen.

"Here," he walked over, a grin on his face as he handed the brick-like device back to Eddy. "Your Nidoking took down Gengar, by the by."

"Sweet, that's two for two!" Eddy took back his Game Boy gratefully, before looking at the stranger. "You made it here pretty damn quick, actually. Did the Kankers turn tail and run?"

The boy nodded, as he pulled out his Poke Ball. "Fennekin here made quick work of 'em. None of their Pokemon liked Ember at all."

"Hah! I was right, they WERE Pokemon!"

This elicited a raised eyebrow from the boy. "It almost sounds like you were expecting something else."

Eddy exchanged glances with his friends, silently wondering if they should tell him or not. After all, that would be a large bomb to drop, and there's no telling if he would even believe them or not. But at the same time, if they were to tell him, perhaps he could give them some answers as to WHY he has Pokemon...

Eventually, Eddy nodded, having finally come to his conclusion. "Well ya see stranger," he began, "We don't have Pokemon here. In fact, we thought they were just a myth."

A slight look of shock graced their new friend's face, as he scanned his surroundings and noticed it. Not a single Pokemon in sight. No Pidgey in the trees, or Weedle in the grass. Meaning wherever he got taken to was VASTLY different. And that would also explain why they were playing a video game based on Pokemon, as opposed to getting some of their own.

"I see..." he said with a light chuckle. "Well if that's the case, you're taking the fact that they aren't a myth very well."

"I've dealt with magic boomerangs and cursed telephones," Eddy retorted. "Double D can tell you ALL about the second one."

To this, the scrawny boy sighed. "You're still mad about tha-"

"I have every right! You saw what that octopus did to me!"

A collective shudder escaped every member of the Cul-De-Sac.

"... Not even gonna ask. Anyway, I suppose I oughta introduce myself. My name is Ryuji Kazama, a new trainer from the Kanto Region."

"Nice to meet you, Ryuji," Double D steps forward. "My name is Eddward, but everyone calls me 'Double D'. The one in the green jacket is my friend Ed, and clearly you've already been acquainted with Eddy. In order, the rest of our acquaintances are Kevin, Nazz, Rolf, Sarah, and Jimmy."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you all. I was on my way to the Johto Region, when I found this strange cave. Next thing I know, I'm here, and there are three girls talking about getting revenge. Glad to see no one got too roughed up, at least."

"All thanks to you, big man," Eddy said as he saved his game and finally turned off his console. "But that makes me wonder where the heck they got those Pokemon."

"They might have gone through the same cave," Ryuji offered, "After their Pokemon got knocked out, I noticed them heading that way."

The tension returned slightly, as the possibilities of what that meant flooded the minds of everyone present. The Kankers were dangerous enough, but having loyal monsters on their side would be VERY bad...

"I wouldn't worry too much about it though." Ryuji commented, noticing their worry. "They'll be in a place where everyone has Pokemon, and there are far better trainers out there than me. If they try anything reckless, it won't go well for 'em."

"Well, that certainly does help ease the mind," Double D admitted, "But what about you? Certainly you don't intend to remain here, when such a fantastical place exists, ripe for exploration."

Ryuji smirks. "Do I detect a hint of envy from you, Double D?"

The sock-headed boy looked away sheepishly. Loathe as he was to admit it, there was so much he wanted to see, especially if it involved one of his hobbies.

"Damn right he's jealous, and he should be!" Eddy butted in. "You get to Pokemon Battle as a hobby, meanwhile we're stuck with little sprites on a screen!"

"Maybe. But you know... I've always wanted to explore a region with friends at my side."

Eddy held his tongue for a moment, not believing what he'd just heard. "Wait... are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"I think I am."

With that line, Eddy began to genuinely like him. Not only were he and Ryuji on the same page, but it seemed that their new buddy was extremely accommodating. Before today, exploring the Pokemon world would have been in the realm of fantasy. But now this guy waltzes in and offers to let them join him on a journey?

Eddy would be a fool to say 'no'.

"Count us in! Right boys?"

Ed's smile grew about as wide as it's ever been. "I AM ED, POKEMON MASTER!"

"Whoa whoa whoa!" a shrill little voice came out of the crowd, as Ed's younger sister stepped out of the crowd. "Don't think you can just take my stupid brother out of the Cul-De-Sac without taking me too!"

As soon as the initial shock of how loud the little girl was wore off, Ryuji continued with telling her "Well my offer stands for all of you. It could be a great learning experience to own some Pokemon."

"Hold up, I didn't know you liked Pokemon, Sarah." Eddy declared, shocked by the sudden revelation.

"As if! That's Ed's thing. But I'm not going to let him be the only one to explore a new place!"

With that, Eddy's expression went from happy to annoyed. Getting to see Pokemon that he's never seen before sounded absolutely fantastic, but having someone like Sarah coming along could absolutely put a damper on things. Her attitude could make even the most exciting ideas so much less enjoyable.

"I've never dealt in this Pokemon stuff, but if the dorks are going, I'm going." Kevin stepped forward as well. "The Kankers being in this... wherever the heck we're going-"

"The Johto Region," Ryuji clarified.

"Thank you. If they're gonna be there, we're gonna want numbers on our side."

"Rolf will partake as well," the resident farm boy joined the party, his arms crossed to show the many scrapes left by the seed Pokemon's assault. "They have invoked the wrath of the Son of a Shepherd, and doubly so by harming Rolf's friends."

Ryuji grins. "Anyone else?"

The final two members of the Cul-De-Sac stepped forward. Nazz kept it simple, merely stating that if everyone else was going, she might as well go too. Jimmy said nothing, and simply came over to Sarah with a nod.

"So, I've gotten an official answer from everyone, except for one." Ryuji looked over to Double D, who still had obvious hesitation on his face. "You in, Double D?"

"Of course he is!" Eddy interjected.

"Well if so, I want to hear HIM say it."

Meanwhile, Double D was still considering everything that went on. Within the last few minutes, he'd learned not only that Pokemon were real, but so was the Kanto Region, AND at least one other region they haven't seen yet. The possibilities for research were immaculate, and there was so much he wanted to know and do. But then, there was one thing holding him back...

_'What would my parents say?'_

This was what left him conflicted. While rarely around, they kept a close eye on Double D and his academic experiences. Going to this region would most likely involve a large time investment, and school was so soon. But at the same time, maybe they would make an exception if he were to go this region and bring back his research. The grants and scholarship opportunities would be absolutely endless, and they'd be so proud of him for making these unbelievable discoveries.

"I have one question," Double D finally said.

Ryuji responded quickly, simply telling him "Shoot."

"Does this... Johto region have a Pokemon League?"

"It does indeed." Ryuji answered, a beaming smile on his face. "In fact, it's shared with the Kanto Region, due to their close proximity. Beat the 8 gyms, you can compete in the Indigo Championship and challenge the Elite 4, before fighting Lance, the Dragon Master."

And with that, the answer was certain. Not only could his research bring him untold advantages, but he could potentially be able to reach the top of the Pokemon world by becoming champion. How could his parents stay mad at him with such accolades by his side?

"... I shall gladly join you on this journey."

Ryuji cracked his knuckles in satisfaction, and told the rest of the party "We'll head out as soon as you guys are ready. It's early in the day after all, so we could get you guys Pokemon by noon. I'll be waiting at the end of the street, so come join me once you've got everything you need."

And with one final nod of affirmation, the party split off. The fact that they were actually doing this was almost unreal, but it certainly would not be the first time that they'd left the Cul-De-Sac on a grand adventure. And if everything went right, this could be the adventure to end ALL adventures.

Eddy himself certainly hoped so.

* * *

Within half an hour, everyone was back, and their bags were filled with everything they could possibly need. Eddy and Kevin were the first to return, both wearing drawstring packs containing clothes, toothbrushes & toothpaste, some extra food, and water bottles. Ed and Sarah were close behind with their school backpacks, Ed's much more full than his sisters, due to trying to bring his comic books with him.

Jimmy had taken a bit longer, due to needing to plan out his supplies more carefully. He'd brought a first-aid kit, a can-opener, and above all else, his comb. There was no way he'd be willing to leave that back home.

Nazz and Rolf came around the same time, each one having taken their time for different reasons. Within Nazz's backpack, there was the usual, alongside as many beauty supplies as she could reasonably carry. Rolf however, had the most stuffed knapsack of the entire party. An extra set of clothes, his fishing pole, a pocket knife, and most of all, as many meats as he could carry. It was no load of bologna, but it would likely last him for now.

And last, but certainly not least, was Double D. Yet ironically enough, his bag looked to be the least packed. The basics were there, obviously, but beyond that, he hadn't brought much beyond a few notebooks and pencils.

"Jeez, sockhead, what took ya so long?" Eddy questioned.

"Oh, nothing." Double D grinned. "And it's irrelevant anyway. Shall we continue?"

"Sounds good to me," Ryuji declared, as he pointed to the forests nearby. "The cave is this way! Follow me!"

And with that, they were off.

Within 15 minutes, they stood at the mouth of a cave that stared back at them with nothing but darkness. There was no end to the cave that they could see, but the assured look on their guide's face told them they could trust it. No one could place their finger on it, but there was something about Ryuji's presence that brought out a swell of confidence in everyone in the party.

And so, they took the bold steps forward that they required to make their way into this new place.

The walk was slow and ominous, as Ryuji used only the dim light of a gas lighter to lead them forward. With every step, something felt off for everyone in the party. Maybe it was an illusion, but it certainly did feel as though they were changing somehow.

In the distance, a light finally appeared, and with that their guide picked up the pace. A brisk walk turned to a jog, then turned to a run once they were within a few meters. The adrenaline had picked up now, and everyone desired to see what was past the blinding radiance.

 _'This is it...'_ Eddy said, still enjoying the high of knowing such a thing was possible, _'Just like Professor Oak said. Our own Pokemon journey is about to unfold!'_

In a flash, the group was past the blinding radiance, and the world around them came into focus. The forest looked much more beautiful than the ones they were used to, and there were creatures both familiar and completely alien to the three Eds. Looking around, Eddy took in every little detail about their surroundings. And when he finally turned back to everyone, it was finally evident exactly what he was feeling earlier.

Everyone looked like they belonged in the Pokemon TV show!

If he hadn't been told that Pokemon were real, this easily would have been the weirdest thing that he'd seen all day. It was strange to say, but everyone's appearance had been changed somehow. In fact, they looked more like Ryuji now.

Kevin and Nazz had changed the least. They were taller and more well-proportioned, with Nazz's lipstick and hair being a bit brighter and her eyes revealing a brilliant blue. Kevin's ginger hair was short, but more evident than before, and was matched by hazel eyes and a far less pronounced chin.

Sarah and Jimmy looked slightly smaller than before, with her hair a more vibrant orange, and her mouth vastly less exaggerated. With Jimmy, it could finally be told where his hair ended and his skin began, because his previously cream-colored hair was now a pale blonde, contrasting with his fair skin far better. And to much surprise, his headpiece was gone - perhaps made into a more simple set of braces.

His fellow Eds, they looked almost the same, but something about their appearances left him with questions. Had Double D always been blonde? Were Ed's eyes always that slate gray color? Were they always so tall, or was he shorter than he remembered?

And speaking of himself...

With a quick glance to a nearby pond, Eddy saw just how the change had affected him personally. His hair was much fuller than he remembered, with the trademark 3 strands hanging down from the front. His face was sharper than before, with a more clearly defined jawline; he was certainly not a 'no-neck chump' anymore. But most of all, the part that caught his attention were his eyes.

They weren't this vibrant of an aqua before, that much he was sure of. And yet, he wasn't opposed to the color. Something about them just struck him as 'right'.

"Wow... this is too cool!" Eddy nearly squealed. "If I'm dreamin', don't wake me up!"

"Glad to see you're enjoying it," Ryuji grinned. "We're in the forests right by Route 29, so New Bark Town should only be a hop, skip and a jump away."

"Is that where we get some Pokemon?" Kevin asked, to which Ryuji nodded fervently.

"Professor Elm's the man in charge of that around here, and I'm sure he'll be more than happy to send us on our way. Now then, follow me."

Their trek continued, everyone slowly acclimating to the changes with their physical forms, and taking in every detail about the land around them. Many unknown creatures passed by them, with some seeming more close to home than they'd expected. Within 30 minutes, they had finally made it back to civilization.

It was a small town, only a few houses altogether, right by a large body of water, and with windmills adorning the sides of buildings. The cool breeze that blew through the town danced across the faces of the party members, as young children frolicked and played.

"So this is New Bark Town, huh?" Eddy questioned as the smell of the ocean tickled his nostrils. "Pretty nice place."

"Just like Oak described it..." Ryuji smiled. "Breathtaking."

"Oh, so you know Professor Oak, then?" Double D questioned, to which their guide paused for a second.

"I met him once and he sent me on my way here," he replied. "He's a cool guy. From what I hear his grandson's a total prick, though."

Double D suppressed a chuckle. "That's an apt description for Gary, I suppose."

"... Gary?"

This elicited a raised eyebrow from the now-blonde brainiac. "Yes... Gary Oak? Professor Oak's grandson?"

"I don't know what your games told you, but Professor Oak's grandson is named Minato."

"And how do you know that?"

"It's on the front of the Viridian Gym. He took it over after the last leader stepped down."

This stunned Double D into silence. Giovanni was not the leader of the Viridian Gym? The rival character had taken his place? But for that to be the case then... that would mean that the events of Pokemon Red and Blue have already happened! And if that were the case, then that would imply the previous champion was the player character! And he'd left, only for Lance to take his spot as champion?

He took another look around, confusion piling up. How much different was this world from what they knew? How much time had passed? How much happened that they did not see?

"Ryuji, remind me to have a discussion with you later," Double D requested, "And for now, continue to lead us to the professor's lab."

"Gotcha. It's the big building up ahead, so let's get a move on."

* * *

The Professor's lab was certainly a sight to walk into. Bookshelves crammed to capacity, notes scattered around containing various scribbles of completely different topics, and machines at the back end of the room that possessed a myriad of purposes. And manning it all was a tall man in a lab coat, completely engrossed in a microscope as he jotted down notes with his free hand like a man possessed.

"So this is the place?" Eddy questioned.

The professor looked back, and upon seeing the group, drew his attention away from his studies for a moment.

"Terribly sorry," he said, his voice a bit jittery, yet dignified, "I hope I didn't keep you waiting. I'm Hironobu Utsugi, though most people call me 'Professor Elm'. And you are?"

Before anyone could introduce themselves, Ryuji stepped forward, and told the older man "It's an honor. I'm Ryuji Kazama, and I've come here on recommendation of Professor Yukinari Ohkido. He said this should be the first place I visit on my journey through Johto."

"Ah, you know my old colleague Oak!" Elm declared with great joy, "Well, any acquaintance of Oak's is an acquaintance of mine. How can I help you?"

"Well these are my new friends Eddy, Double D, Ed, Kevin, Rolf, Nazz, Jimmy and Sarah. They're are going to be journeying with me, and I was hoping you'd be able to set them up with Pokemon of their own. I've already got a starter, but they're taking their first steps into competitive battling."

For a second, Professor Elm seemed very eager to help, but his expression turned from happiness to worry when he noticed the numbers among them. Looking back to a particular machine, he immediately realized the issue here.

_'Oh no! I don't have enough for them! There's eight kids there, and I only have 3 Pokemon I can offer! But wait, what if...'_

Everyone watched, as the professor seemed to pace around the room, seemingly deep in thought about an unknown issue. An air of curiosity overcame the group, as they wondered what had his interest, but no one dared to ask.

"Hey, is something wrong!?"

No one except Sarah of course, who was growing a bit impatient.

"Oh no, no! Nothing's wrong," Elm raised his hands defensively. "Forgive me, I sometimes get lost in thought. Anyway, I think I can assist you. I'll just... need to make some calls real quick. Do you think you could wait in the other part of the room for a bit?"

"Yeah sure, we'll wait." Eddy declared, resulting in the rest of the Cul-De-Sac kids staring at him. "... What?"

"You're actually having some patience for once?" Kevin questioned, "Who are you, and what have you done with Eddy?"

Eddy rolled his eyes to this. "I can HAVE patience, ya know! It just... has to be something that keeps my attention."

"That... explains a lot, actually," said Double D.

Before anyone could comment further, the professor scuttled off to a phone, leaving the kids to their own devices. Following the lead of Ryuji, everyone left the room, waiting for the conversations to end, and settling into conversations of their own.

"So Dorky, you guys know Pokemon, right?" Kevin asked, "What's the whole point of it anyway? You're supposed to battle or something?"

"That's the main intent," Double D answered, interrupting Eddy's answer before it even started, "It's also been stated that they can be kept as pets, so if recreational combat is not something that interests you, then keeping one for companionship is certainly a viable choice."

"I see." Kevin scratched his chin, considering his options. He only knew Pokemon vaguely, and was not sure about battling too much. Seemed like it would have been too much work, especially when he had school and football practice to deal with. But perhaps keeping a pet would not be an issue, especially given some of the ones he'd seen are pretty cool. Things like Charmander and Bulbasaur would probably be pretty easy to take care of.

But then again, maybe battling was still something Kevin could get into. After all, while he was here, he'd better take advantage of everything.

"As a personal issue, I intend to challenge the Pokemon League," Double D continued, "I'm not sure whether it works like the games or the show, but in essence, it's the peak of Pokemon Battling."

"Actually, that's a good question," Eddy chimed in. "How DOES the league work?"

The Eds looked to Ryuji, who had his gaze locked on the ceiling. His expression was blank, yet focused at the same time, leading them to think he was clearly contemplating something important.

"Hey, earth to Ryuji!"

With Eddy's shrill voice piercing Ryuji's ears, he was pulled out of his internal monologue, responding with a quick "Oh, sorry. I got distracted for a moment. What did you need?"

Eddy wasn't buying it, but did not press further. Right now, he had a question in mind, which he repeated post-haste.

"Oh, the League, right." Ryuji scratched the back of his head, "You guys'll love it, I'm sure. It's a big tournament they hold every Autumn. We got about a month or so before the next league comes up, so if we can get our Gym Badges in that time, we can compete in the tournament. And if you win, you get the chance to face the Elite 4, to be crowned the Champion of the Indigo League."

Both Double D and Eddy nodded, a clear image of the competition in their heads. Excitement flared within the two as the thoughts of exploring this new region and winning the league were now at the front of their minds. All they needed now were their Pokemon.

But still, many questions lingered. What new Pokemon were there? What were the Gym Leaders in Johto like? What the hell is actually going on in Johto?

But perhaps those would have to be questions for later. For now, one other thing lingered in the back of Eddy's mind:

"So why the heck do the professors all have these weird nicknames?"

Ryuji held back a chuckle. "I'm not entirely sure myself. Maybe it's an inside joke with the Professors or somethin'."

The loud click of a phone onto it's jack signaled the end of whatever calls Professor Elm was making, as he called the group back into the main room. Before them sat a set of exactly 8 Poke Balls, each one almost calling out to the party in a way.

"Now thankfully, I was able to call in some favors," Elm explained, as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "And got some of my colleagues to give me some extra starters that weren't being used."

He gestured over to the right side of the table, specifically to the three farthest. "These are the actual starter-class Pokemon native to the Johto region. Then after that we have one from the Hoenn region, followed by one from the Sinnoh Region, and the three remaining being from an aspiring Professor in the far-off Alola region. So, who's picking first?"

Before anyone could even open their mouths, Eddy had raised his hand with a speed they hadn't seen from him in a while. Pulling his fellow Eds forward, he immediately declared "We're the Pokemon fans here, so we get first crack! And I'm thinking we should go with these three!"

Eddy grabbed randomly at the three Poke Balls designated as 'Johto starters', only stopping to ask which of them was the Fire starter. Once he'd gotten his answer, he took that one, and handed the other two to Double D and Ed.

Shrugging at the choices, all three boys threw the balls into the air, and in a brilliant burst of light, their new starters stood before them.

Eddy's was a small rodent-like creature, covered in blue fur on its back and cream-colored fur on it's underside, with a long snout, short little legs, stubby little arms, and closed eyes. On its back, Eddy noticed 4 large red dots, which he presumed was where it's fire came out.

Double D's was a small bipedal plant-like creature, that stared up to Double D with expressive red eyes. Light green in color, the beast's body was contrasted mainly by the small pods that surrounded its neck like a bead necklace. On its head was a single leaf, almost seeming to wiggle with curiosity as the grass-type watched it's new master.

And Ed's was a small bipedal crocodile, mostly light blue in color, but possessing a small cream-colored stripe across it's front, and several red spikes going down its back and tail. As the beast looked to Ed with its own large eyes, its tail started to wag, and it let out an excited grunt. These simple actions caused Ed to smile like he'd never smiled before.

"Ed has an alligator!" he picked up the small croc and began petting it with vigor. "Pet the gator! Pet the gator!" The little guy clearly appreciated the attention, and took Ed's rough way of showing affection like an absolute champ. This sent a wave of relief through both Eds, as they knew Ed would bawl like no tomorrow if he ended up hurting the thing.

"Purr like a gator! Purr like a gator!"

"Gators don't purr, Ed!" Double D protested, only to be shut down by an almost purr-like grunt coming from the water-type. Not wanting to argue further, the sock-headed boy pulled out a notepad and asked, "What can you tell me about these three species of Pokemon, Professor?"

"I'm glad you asked," Elm told him, "Your friend Eddy got a Cyndaquil, a Fire Type well-known for having almost the same physical capabilities as Charmander. You received Chikorita, a rather defensive Grass Type that can learn a lot of utility moves. And your friend Ed received a Totodile, a slower but physically powerful water type."

Double D nodded, appreciative for the information he gleefully jotted down. Once he had his notes, Kevin stepped up next, now admittedly very curious, and grabbed the closest Poke Ball to the group. Throwing it into the air revealed a small bipedal reptile, light green in color, with a light red patch going from it's lower jaw to it's belly. A long, dark green tail swished behind the small gecko, as it stared at Kevin with large yellow eyes, and almost seemed to grin at him.

"(I sense a kindred spirit.)" the small creature said, but all that anyone heard was "Treecko."

"Huh... choice." Kevin picked up Treecko, not entirely sure what it was saying but approving of how it looked. In the background, Double D was asking the same question as before, jotting down every bit of info he could glean from the man.

This created a pattern, as everyone got through their Pokemon of choice, and Double D continued to burn through lead and paper with every new Pokemon revealed. Rolf was next, getting himself a small orange chimp-like Pokemon with a flaming backside - apparently called a Chimchar. Nazz followed suit, getting a small blue sea lion Pokemon with a large pink nose - this beast called Popplio. And Jimmy got his hands on a small black and red cat Pokemon, with large whiskers and bright yellow eyes - a Litten.

And last, but certainly not least, was Sarah.

"It's about time!" Sarah said, having gotten bored of this whole ritual, and wanting to get it over with. Picking up the final Poke Ball, she threw it into the air, revealing the final Pokemon in the roster. It was an owl-like Pokemon, light brown in color with white feathers on the face and stomach. Two leaves sat on its body, making it seem like it was wearing a bow tie, and its beak was a decent size. It looked at Sarah with its large black eyes with curiosity, but Sarah looked at it with annoyance.

"Aw, lame!" Sarah groaned, "I got a stupid bird while everyone else gets cool stuff!?"

Rowlet lowered its head slightly, disappointed at being berated the first moment they met.

"Do not taunt the bird, Sarah," Ed countered.

"Yeah, what did the bird ever do to you?" Eddy added, still annoyed at her attitude.

"You guys all got cool stuff! Birds suck!"

"Bird Pokemon are AWESOME!" Eddy yelled back, offended that she just indirectly insulted his Zapdos, as well as his Dodrio from before that. "You don't even know what that thing can do!"

"I don't need to! It's stupi-"

"Alright, that's ENOUGH!"

Ryuji stepped between the two fledgling trainers, his expression a mix of anger and disappointment. Eddy visibly shrunk, shocked by the display and irritated at getting a glare like that of a parent scolding a child. But then he saw Sarah shrink down a little as well, and that feeling was replaced with amusement. It was rare that someone could actually get Sarah to back down.

"Look," he began slowly, placing his hands on his hips, "Whatever your opinions on Bird Pokemon are, we've quite literally just started our journey. There are tons of Pokemon out here to see, and each one of them can play a role. So keep an open mind, will you? You never know what Mon will end up saving your butt during an important fight."

Eddy grinned, happy to actually get some good messaging. Usually whenever someone has that look, it's more scolding and lectures, but once again it seemed he and Ryuji were on the same wavelength. And at the end of the day, he was right.

But now that they had their Pokemon, one other issue came to mind:

"Hey Professor. D'you got any Pokedexes we can use?"

* * *

Another 10 minutes of getting everyone set up with their new Pokedexes, and 5 Poke Balls each, and the party was ready to finally move. Exiting the Professor's Lab was the first step, as they were assaulted by the breeze of New Bark Town once again. It seemed like they were all set to go, but once again, they were stopped by a certain brown-haired boy, as he told the group "Before we leave, I think we need to do something."

"And what would that be?" Double D questioned, only making Ryuji's smile grow further.

"To commemorate your first Pokemon, I say we have our first battle as Johto Trainers!"

The mood at this declaration was mixed, as half the group was excited and honored, while the other half was either apathetic or confused. But regardless, the excited half stepped forward, immediately desiring to take part in this, while Ryuji was stroking his chin, trying to figure out the terms of the battle.

"Okay, I think I have an idea. Let's have it be Eddy vs Rolf. That way we can start to get our new trainers involved."

"Sounds good to me!"

"Rolf will partake."

Ryuji nodded, and started setting the field. Explaining to the trainers how to check their move lists with their Pokedexes, he got them up to speed about what their Pokemon could do. Within 5 minutes, both boys were standing across from each other, about 20 feet away, and had their Poke Balls ready to be thrown.

"The battle between Rolf and Eddy is about to commence!" Ryuji spoke, "Each trainer will use one Pokemon, and the battle ends when one side is unable to continue! Trainer Rolf, are you ready?"

"Rolf shall claim victory!"

"Trainer Eddy! Are you ready?"

"Let's go!"

"Alright! Send out your Pokemon!"

Both Rolf and Eddy threw the mechanisms to the sky, releasing their Fire Types in front of each other. Chimchar giggled at the sight of Cyndaquil, eager to see what her new opponent was capable of.

"(You ready to lose, little rodent?)" She asked, hopping up and down slightly to warm up her muscles.

"(I won't lose,)" Eddy's Cyndaquil said softly, his back flames igniting, "(I won't let my trainer down!)"

With the stage set, Ryuji pointed his finger to the sky, and happily exclaimed "Let the battle begin!"

Without missing a beat, Eddy called out to Cyndaquil. "Use Tackle!"

Cyndaquil rushed forward, slamming Chimchar in the stomach with with it's head.

"Chimchar, grab the small rodent and Leer at it like Nana after a poor night's sleep!"

The fiery monkey did as she was commanded, her face contorting into a powerful sneer, making Cyndaquil jump back. A blue aura surrounded him for a second, surprising Eddy.

"Whoa! So stats are actually shown to lower," Eddy grinned. "This is so much cooler already! Alright Cyndaquil, Leer right back!"

Cyndaquil followed his trainer's command, his eyes opening up for a moment to reveal a pair of piercing red orbs. The blue aura surrounded Chimchar, as she raised her little fists for the chance to strike.

"Scatch Eddy's flaming mouse!"

Chimchar rushed forward, aiming her claws at Cyndaquil's face. The strike nearly knocks him off his feet, but Cyndaquil manages to keep a strong stance in the end, trying another Tackle the instant Eddy commanded it. Both hits connected easily, and Chimchar was looking a little worse for wear at the moment. But it was clear to Eddy that Rolf wasn't worried. Something about that look on his face just screamed 'I won't be taken down so easily.'

"Alright Chimchar, once more with the Leer!"

The fierce look in Chimchar's eyes returned, and Eddy saw his opportunity while the blue aura surrounded his starter. "Alright, this is our shot!" he called out to Cyndaquil. "Tackle 'em into the ground!"

Cyndaquil nodded, rushing forward with all the speed it's little legs could muster. It looked like they had this in the bag...

"Jump over it!"

Upon hearing those word's, Eddy's expression went from confident to worried in a heartbeat. He watched in abject shock as the Chimchar vaulted right over his Cyndaquil, and then, at Rolf's command, scratched Cyndaquil right on his back. A cry of pain came from Cyndaquil, who fell to the ground, and Eddy was left to only watch as it struggled to get back up. Eventually, it stopped struggling, as it flopped to the floor once again, clearly exhausted from that whole ordeal.

"Cyndaquil is unable to battle!" Ryuji called out, throwing his arm in a downward motion "Chimchar wins! This victory goes to Rolf!"

As Rolf celebrated with his starter Pokemon, Eddy ran over to his Cyndaquil, picking up the small Fire type, and holding it close. And as he looked at his new teammate, some part of him couldn't help but feel proud.

"(S-sorry...)" the flaming mouse squeaked out, sounding only to Eddy like it was saying its name, "(I failed you.)" He was expecting scorn, but to his surprise, Eddy put him down, and started petting him.

"Ya did great, little guy," He told Cyndaquil, "I guess I shoulda figured Rolf wasn't gonna sit there and lemme hit him."

"You did well, day-late-and-dollar-short Ed-boy," Rolf commended, "For one who does not work with livestock, your command of that fire mouse was quite impressive."

Rubbing the back of his head, Eddy told him "You weren't too bad yourself, Stretch. I wouldn't have thought to JUMP OVER a move, but that monkey o' yours has got some good legs."

The others rushed over, heaping congratulations onto Rolf for his first win, and starting to get into it. Even Sarah couldn't deny it was actually pretty cool to watch, which helped to put a smile onto Eddy's face. At this rate, the journey might actually be even more fun than he expected, especially if he could get everyone into it.

Ryuji walked over while everyone was talking, stopping right in front of the shorter boy. "So tell me Eddy," he said, "Is this better than your games?"

"By a country mile," Eddy answered without hesitation. "I can't wait to see what happens when we get Fire Blasts and Earthquakes to use!"

"Well then, guess you better start practicing. The gyms in Johto aren't pushovers, at least from what I've heard."

Eddy nodded, as he headed inside to use the healing machine Elm had told them about. As much as he hated losing, there was a great satisfaction that welled up inside him. He'd taken his first steps into becoming a Pokemon Trainer, and had fought in his first real battle. All he'd wanted to do when he woke up this morning was finish a video game, and now here he was about to go and live it. And to make matters even better, he wouldn't have to deal with school!

There was so much he wanted to learn, so much he wanted to see, so much prize money he wanted to win, and above all else, so much bragging rights he could not wait to have. And it all started here and now. All because of a bit of bad luck. All because of a chance encounter with Ryuji. All because they'd been on the same wavelength. Now they were given an opportunity unlike any other, and there was no way in hell he was squandering it.

No doubt was left in Eddy's mind. Today would be the start of their greatest adventure yet.

That much, he would make sure of.

* * *

**PARTY DATA:**

**EDDY**

Cyndaquil

\- Male

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Quiet Nature

\- Alert to Sounds

\- Moves: Tackle, Leer

**ED**

Totodile

\- Male

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Torrent

\- Jolly Nature

\- Somewhat of a Clown

\- Moves: Scratch, Leer

**DOUBLE D**

Chikorita

\- Female

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Gentle Nature

\- Good Endurance

\- Moves: Tackle, Growl

**KEVIN**

Treecko

\- Male

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Lax Nature

\- Thoroughly Cunning

\- Moves: Pound, Leer, Absorb

**ROLF**

Chimchar

\- Female

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Naughty Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Scratch, Leer

**NAZZ**

Popplio

\- Female

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Torrent

\- Calm Nature

\- Often Lost in Thought

\- Moves: Pound, Growl, Water Gun

**SARAH**

Rowlet

\- Male

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Brave Nature

\- Likes to Relax

\- Moves: Tackle, Growl, Leafage

**JIMMY**

Litten

\- Male

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Hardy Nature

\- Quick Tempered

\- Moves: Scratch, Growl, Ember

**RYUJI**

Fennekin

\- Female

\- Level 9

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Mild Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Scratch, Tail Whip, Ember


	2. Their First Step

**So, I wanted this chapter to be done like three days ago, but better a little late than a year late, I suppose. I'll readily admit I'm still figuring out how I want to pace this story, and I'm trying to make sure I give every character a chance or two to shine. So this chapter in particular is definitely more dialogue focused than I initially anticipated, but overall I think you guys will like it. If you do, feel free to hit it, leave a comment, whatever you wanna do. As for me, I'm going to take a well-deserved break before I do anything more.**

**Welcome to Chapter 2. Enjoy!**

* * *

The first route is always a special occasion for any trainer. It is the start of a journey away from home, a grand step into a vast unknown world. It is a place to acclimate to the conditions they're going to be surrounded by, and to make some new friends who will join you on this major step in life.

Route 29 was that route for a certain nine trainers.

As Eddy and co. walked into the forested route just outside of New Bark Town, something about seeing this new path almost seemed ominous. Before them was a massive new trail to trek, and the only things they had to go off was Ryuji's preliminary info that this region was nearby Kanto. To some degree, it was terrifying, but at the same time, it was an adrenaline rush unlike any before. Here they were, ready to go, and nothing would stand in their way.

"WAIT!"

... Well, almost nothing.

Looking back, the crew saw Professor Elm running their way with all the speed he could muster. When he was finally in front of the party, Elm was breathing heavy already, but looked to the party with a certain conviction in his eyes.

"Thanks for slowing down, kids," he said between breaths, standing upright after he regained his composure. "I completely forgot something before I left, but... do you think you could do me a favor?"

A raised eyebrow was the first response he got, from Kevin in particular. "Uh, sure?" he said with his arms crossed, "What do you need, dude?"

"I just received an e-mail from a friend of mine, known as Mr. Pokemon," Elm explained, "He's always off finding weird things and raving about his discoveries. And this time, he mentioned Pokemon eggs, which are always an exciting discovery, but we're too bogged down by research to get it ourselves!"

"Wait a minute, Pokemon lay eggs?" Eddy questioned, "That's news to me!"

"Well of course they lay eggs," Ryuji replied, "They gotta try and keep the species going somehow."

To this, Eddy had no retort. He was still in the mindset of thinking of all of this as a game, and was probably going to be stuck in that mindset for a while. Yet knowing that there were Pokemon eggs excited him. This was a real world, and Pokemon didn't just pop out of the sky. Honestly he wasn't even sure if this was all a dream or not, but little details like that certainly helped to convince him.

And plus, that meant one other advantage if he had the answer to one simple question:

"Are they safe to eat?"

"A good amount of the bird eggs are."

"I'll keep that in mind. You haven't lived until you've tried one of my omelettes."

"ANYWAY," Professor Elm continued, "Do you guys think you could go pick up the egg in my stead?"

"Ugh! You mean we gotta come back here?" Sarah complained, much to the chagrin of Double D specifically.

"I'm sorry if it's an inconvenience, really I am. I would have asked Gold to do it, but that boy can't sit still for more than 2 hours. For all I know he could be all the way in Azalea Town by now."

"It is no trouble, Professor," Double D responded, "We'd be honored to assist you in your scientific endeavors."

"Oh thank you, children! Mr. Pokemon lives just north of Cherrygrove City. Shouldn't take you more than a day to get out there and back here. I'll see you once you've returned."

With nothing more to say, Elm walked back to the lab, leaving the group of nine to finally start on their journey. They'd now have to make a detour back here, but at the very least there would be no more interruptions on their part.

"With that outta the way," Ryuji declared, walking backwards to face the group. "Let's get this show on the road. Now that we're here, I'm certain you guys can catch all kinds of Pokemon to help make your teams."

"Catch Pokemon?" Nazz questioned. "Why would we do that?"

"To build a team to kick the Gym Leaders' asses!" Eddy said triumphantly. "We can have up to 6 of 'em at a time, so capture as much stuff as you can! You can get rich off winning those fights!"

"And as an added bonus," Double D added, "It helps to complete our Pokedex, helping in the research of people like Professor Elm and the incredible Professor Oak."

"And they're so cute!" Ed joined in, still hugging his Totodile, "And they grow into bigger monsters like the mutant sludge in 'The Teenage Sludge Hippie meets The Devourer'!"

Hearing their explanations caused curiosity to well up in almost the entire party, specifically among the ones who had never played a day of Pokemon in their lives. While helping the Professor with his research wasn't exactly that tantalizing to the others, the idea of beating these 'Gym Leaders' certainly had its benefits. If their Pokemon could get stronger thanks to these fights, then that could lead to them getting more gym fights, which could lead to more money...

An especially nice prospect, as several members of the party looked to their pockets and realized they'd brought no money with them.

"I'm glad to see you guys paid attention when playing your game," commended Ryuji, as he looked forward. "So how about we show off what can be captured, then? Anyone want to help demonstrate?"

"Demon's trait?" Ed asked, "What demons?"

"No no, Ed," Double D immediately corrected, "Demonstrate. It means 'to show how something works'. Ryuji is asking for one of us to capture a Pokemon to show the others how it is done."

Ed's smile was practically illuminating at hearing that, as he rushed over to Ryuji. "Pick me! Pick me! New monster buddy for Ed!"

"Alright, glad to see you're eager, big guy," Ryuji said as he pried himself out of Ed's vice grip, "Now, let's go and find you something new to add to your team."

The older boy immediately took Ed into the tall grass, in which the two of them scouted the area. The others approached slowly as Ryuji gesticulated, wondering what the heck he could be explaining to Ed. Finally, once they were within earshot, a rustling in the grass was the first thing they heard, before Ed was pounced by his first wild Pokemon.

It was a small purple rodent, with a cream-colored underbelly and a set of large front teeth sticking out of its mouth. Its tail was tightly curled right at the end, and was waving around as it looked at Ed with its red eyes.

"Jumpin' Jehosaphat!" Jimmy declared. "What is that thing?" Pulling out his Pokedex when he remembered that the Professor told him to use it, the little Pokemon was scanned. Within a second, an entry came up, offering a brief explanation.

_'Rattata, the Rat Pokemon_

_Normal Type_

_It eats anything. Wherever there is food, it will settle down and produce offspring continuously.'_

"Ah excellent," Double D said, noting the familiarity of this Pokemon, "An early game Normal type such as Rattata seems like the perfect jumping off point to learn how to catch Pokemon."

"Cute little mouse!" Ed yelled out, calling his starter over. "Meet Ed's gator, and do battle in the arena of the dark roots!"

Totodile entered the field, and started to jump up and down at the sight of a new opponent. "(It's nice to meet you!)," Totodile said, "(Are you going to be our new friend?)"

Rattata took a defensive stance. "(Cut the crap! We're here to fight!)"

"(Aw come on! Why don't you be our friend?)"

"(You gotta beat me first!)"

Everyone watched this exchange between the two Pokemon, unsure of what to say or do, or even what was being said by either side. All they knew was that there was going to be a fight. But judging by that stupid grin Ed wore, he was okay with that.

"Totodile! Use your mighty Growl!"

On command, Totodile readied himself to growl, but before he could release this move, the Rattata slammed into his body. The force behind the attack knocked the croc off his feet, with the rodent now standing on his belly.

"Oh no! The Growl made the mouse attack with the might of a Cretan bull!"

"Actually, I think it's just faster than your Totodile," Ryuji explained. "Must be a decently high level Rattata then."

Totodile stood back up, looking his opponent in the eye. "(As I was saying... GROWL!)"

Unleashing an adorable little noise from his tiny throat, a blue aura surrounded Rattata, reducing his attack. One of Rattata's whiskers twitched in annoyance, as the rodent looked to his opponent, ready to pounce again.

"Take note everyone!" Ryuji called out to the rest of the party, "Your opponent isn't just gonna sit there and let you wail on 'em. And sometimes, you're gonna have to be willing to take a hit to get one off."

As he was explaining this, Rattata charged forward. However, this time Totodile was prepared, and eagerly sidestepped the strike. Thanks to his momentum, Rattata continued forward, giving an opportunity to be attacked.

"Scratch with your claws of the dragon!"

"(Wait, but I don't know Dragon Claw...)" Totodile said, still not used to Ed's overly bombastic nature. But after a split second it clicked, and he was able to get in a decently strong Scratch attack to the back of Rattata's head.

"Good hit, Lumpy!" Eddy yelled out as the Normal Type was left reeling, "Show that overgrown rat who's boss!"

However, the receiver of this attack was not as enthusiastic about it. Twisting back around, Rattata practically glared at Totodile, almost enough to make the Water Type think he was going to get paralyzed. "(I will bite your tail off!)"

"(Come and try!)" taunted Totodile, "(But my tail will not be taken so easily!)"

Taking that as a challenge, Rattata unleashed his next move. In a flash, he'd closed the distance between himself and Totodile, slamming his head right into Totodile's lower jaw, and sending the bigger Pokemon off his feet for the second time this fight.

"Whoa! So fast!" Jimmy whispered from the sidelines.

"That rat's a diehard!" Kevin commented.

"That was Quick Attack, for sure!" Eddy said, remembering his own Raticate from the early game. "Sockhead, what Level does Rattata learn that?"

"I believe Level 7, Eddy."

That sounded about right to Eddy, who watched as Totodile stood back up, still as happy as ever. As Ed declared for one more Scratch, Rattata got a claw directly to the stomach, sending the beast back, clutching his stomach in annoyance. By the look of it, it might be weakened enough to-

"Alright, good Ed! You've weakened it enough!" exclaimed Ryuji, "Now, do you know what to do?"

Surprising everyone, Ed took out a Poke Ball, and eagerly explained it. "Throw the darn Poke Ball, Monobrow!" he declared, reciting something Eddy had once told him. And throw it he did. Ed leaned back and sent that Poke Ball flying with all the force his arms could muster...

Unfortunately, Ed was a boy able to summon up an unbelievable amount of force, and his grip on the device left a lot to be desired. Instead of heading toward the rat Pokemon, the Poke Ball flew far above their heads, and way off toward the mountain in the distance. By the time it was finally out of sight, everyone was just left dumbstruck, Ryuji especially by Ed's sudden display of strength.

"Sure hope that doesn't end up pinging some unfortunate climber on the head," he said with a sigh, "We're gonna have to work on that throwing arm of yours. Try with less force this time, Ed."

"Less force?" Ed questioned, pulling out another Poke Ball, as the Rattata stared off to where the first one was thrown. "Okay!"

This time, Ed tried to keep a firmer grip on the ball, which offered a bit of success. It flew much truer this time, actually managing to find its mark as it tapped against the Rattata's head. The Poke Ball opened up, a red energy surrounded him, dematerializing him as his energy was pulled right into the machine, closing again as it landed on the ground and shook once...

Twice...

Thrice...

And with a resounding 'DING!', the capture sequence was complete.

If Ed was happy before, this experience sent him over the moon. He immediately ran over and picked up the Poke Ball. "JOY!" he exclaimed with his eyes fixed on the home of his new teammate, "A new furry friend for Ed to share his gravy cakes with!"

"Nice one, Ed!" Eddy came over, inspecting the Poke Ball. "First catch of the journey, and it's all ours!"

"Well technically it's all Ed's," Double D corrected, happy to see his friend so excited, "And what a catch it was. A Level 7 Rattata is certainly an impressive opening."

"It was Level 7?" Ed asked, looking to Ryuji for answers.

"I doubt it," Ryuji answered, "Most Pokemon on early routes don't get that high. And besides, Rattata learns Quick Attack at like Level 4."

Double D was going to interject, but shut right up upon hearing that. Just another inconsistency with his own cursory knowledge, and another thing on the list of questions to have their guide clear up. At this rate, it was seeming like they'd have a lot of that, even before the day is over.

"I see," Double D said slowly, "Well, now we have a Rattata, and Ed should have a new entry in his Pokedex."

Ed tilted his head. "I should?"

"Of course, Ed. Like the Professor said while explaining the Pokedex, you can scan your own Pokemon to get further information about them. You should try it."

Ed pulled out his Pokedex, already covered in lint thanks to his pants pocket, and stared at the device, trying to figure out this hidden function. He tried a few different methods, including tapping it against the Poke Ball, holding it up to it, and finally pressing the button on the machine.

The last one seemed to do the trick, as the Pokedex finally opened up, and there were a bunch of different options on it. Double D came over to help Ed, and pressed on the screen, noticing the big icon labeled 'scan.' And with that, Ed's Pokedex finally took a scan of the Poke Ball before it, and gave them all the info they could need.

_Rattata_

_Lv.4_

_Normal Type_

_Ability: Guts_

_Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Quick Attack_

_AVERAGE STATS_

This elicited a raised eyebrow from the resident genius, as he noticed a list of 6 stats on the screen, like a graph chart that is showing off six specific categories: HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed. At the bottom of the graph, he noticed the numbers '0' and '255', as well as numbers on the other end of the graph, to represent what each bar represented on that specific scale.

"Curious," Double D whispered as he grabbed the Pokedex, "This device has data on the average combat capabilities of a Pokemon?"

"Looks like it." Ryuji told him happily. "Pretty good feature to have, I'd say. Sometimes you wanna know where a Pokemon lands on the Tajiri Scale."

"The Taji-what now?" Eddy asked, walking into the tall grass to see what there was to see.

"Add it to the list of things I need to explain," was Ryuji's only response. "For now, let's keep going, alright?"

The others nodded, some among them genuinely interested to see what they could catch.

* * *

Before anyone knew it, an hour and a half had passed, filled with walking, battling, and a number of attempted captures. So far, no one in the group had any success besides Ed, but with every failure, they were getting a bit closer.

"Alright dude, use Water Gun."

Currently, it was Nazz' second try, this time with a Pokemon she learned was called Sentret. This little brown rodent had bumped into her by accident, and the moment she saw it balance on its tail, she was in love.

The water slammed into Sentret, who took the attack like a champ. Popplio approached slowly as her opponent returned back to his previous stance.

"(You're certainly a resilient one,)" Popplio said, her voice even-toned as she looked to the Normal type. "(I like you already.)"

"(Why thank you,)" Sentret responded, a bit surprised to be praised by a complete stranger. "(I've gotten into a lot of battles in my time.)"

"(Oh yeah? Then perhaps you'd like to put your experience to work for us?)"

Sentret froze, surprised both by the bluntness of the request, and by the request itself. It was true that he had been in a lot of fights, but his win-loss ratio was... well, completely terrible. He was practically a laughingstock among the trees he lived near, and hated that fact.

But perhaps, if he were to go with them, he'd be able to get away from it all.

"(I uh... I'm not sure,)" Sentret tried to play it off and act cool. "(I'm uh... pretty committed here. But maybe if you can prove your str-)"

"(Alright, well I'll just wait for my trainer to command another Water Gun.)"

"(NO!)" He exclaimed, "(I mean- well... nevermind. On second thought, that Water Gun before was plenty strong. I don't need any more proof.)"

"(Are you sure? Because there's no take backs.)"

All the while this was happening, Nazz was just standing there, watching and twiddling her thumbs while it looked like the two Pokemon were having a conversation.

"Um..." she hesitated, "So, should I throw the ball or...?"

From the sidelines, Ryuji gave her a thumbs up. "It's all part of the process. When catching a Pokemon, you gotta wait for an opportunity, whatever that may be."

While still unsure, Nazz decided to roll with it, and tossed her Poke Ball lightly. It tapped against the side of Sentret's stomach, and enveloped the Normal type with the light of capture. The ball fell to the ground and shook three times, before a familiar sound rang from the ball, signifying the second capture of this journey.

"Nice work, babe!"

Kevin stepped over, having watched the whole confrontation. "That was rad, catching that little thing."

"Aw, thanks Kev," Nazz said as she picked it up and let her new Pokemon out. "He's kinda cute, isn't he?"

"A lot of 'em are when they're at this stage in their evolution," Ryuji commented, pushing off the tree he'd been leaning against. "And if you train it up enough, it'll be strong as well as cute."

Hearing the word 'train' made Nazz look away. Thus far, she'd not been having too much fun watching these little guys beat each other up. She understood that they were resilient, at least from what the others had told her, but something about it just wasn't that appealing to her. Maybe it was something she'd get used to, or maybe it was just something that clicked with certain people more than others. She wasn't really sure.

But even if she was not that sure about battling, at the very least catching Pokemon meant she would have some adorable little traveling companions. So perhaps it wasn't all bad.

"So, how are the others doing?" Nazz asked, as they began to rejoin the others by the Route 46 entrance.

"Well, the Dorks haven't had much luck," Kevin said, slightly amused, "So much for being 'Pokemon Masters'."

"Hey, cut us some slack, will ya!?" Eddy barked back, as he picked up a Poke Ball he'd missed the last Rattata with. "It ain't our fault everything out here's so damn quick! And they run away, we're not used to that!"

"Though to be fair," Double D interjected, "Eddy's Poke Balls have had a much better trajectory with each passing throw. The only reason that last one missed was because Rattata decided to retreat, but thankfully the ball didn't break and we were able to salvage it."

"That's always good," Ryuji told them, as he noticed the afternoon sun up above. "And plus, it seems like you've been having your fun, given how much time flew by. At this point I'm tempted to say we take a break and have some lunch."

And as if summoned by the mention of 'lunch', a massive rumbling that nearly shook the ground around them emitted from Ed's stomach.

"Belly's empty, guys," Ed said, absentminded as ever. "Food for Ed?"

Everyone in the party was in agreement, as a nearly unanimous chorus of rumbling stomachs came together. Ryuji laughed at this, before placing down his bag.

"Alright, awesome. Once Rolf gets back, we can chow down. I think I might have some extra Poke Food in here..."

It took a few minutes to get everything set up, especially since they lacked anywhere to really sit, but the party had to make do. Dipping into their stocks of food, everyone started to eat, sending out their Pokemon for some fresh air, and a little bit of time to interact with one another. But there was one little problem, brought up by their guide.

"So, here's the deal," he explained, as he pulled out a small bento box and some chopsticks, "Unfortunately I only packed enough Poke Food for my Fennekin. It seems like until I can buy some more in Cherrygrove, you'll have to share your own rations with your new friends."

"Ah what?" Eddy questioned incredulously, "What, ya didn't think to bring more?"

"Well let's be fair, I didn't plan to bring you guys until like 2 hours ago." Ryuji joked.

"Point taken," Eddy sighed, as he took his sandwich and split one half in half once again, "Yo Cyndaquil!"

The Fire Type perked up at hearing his name. "(Yes?)"

"Come over here, I got some food for ya."

Cyndaquil shuffled over, taking the piece of sandwich within his little hands, and placing the entire thing in his mouth. The flavor was certainly acceptable, and thanks to the content, it was rather filling.

"So, Rolfy boy, what'd ya catch out in that other route?" Eddy asked between bites. Rolf grinned at this, and asked "Do you not see the small rock with arms, Ed boy? That is Rolf's newest battling monster."

All it took was a look to Rolf's side, and there it was, plain as day. A Geodude, currently ripping into a few links of sausage. How he'd missed that, Eddy will never know, but now they had an early game Rock Type among them.

"Ah excellent!" exclaimed Double D, happy to see a familiar face. "I've used a Golem myself, and I must commend your choice. Their defensive prowess is something to be admired."

Rolf looked confused. "So, the small rock with arms can serve as a bastion for Rolf's livestock once we return?"

"Why certainly. It's strong stone armor should help to stave off even the mightiest of predators."

Rolf began to ponder this prospect, as he looked to his new ally. Perhaps a strong defensive monster would be a welcome addition to his team. After all, he knew practically nothing about this 'Pokemon' thing, and being able to fall back on the resilience of a Pokemon or two was not a bad idea.

"Then Rolf made a good choice in capturing this one," he declared, chomping down on a sub piled high with meat. "Rolf shall train this small rock with arms as a powerful member of his battalion."

"Speaking of, how'd you catch Geodude anyway?" Ryuji questioned.

"Rolf beat it in an arm wrestle."

Hearing that almost made Ryuji drop the piece of broiled fish he'd picked up. "Wait, arm wrestl- why were you arm wrestling a Geodude anyway?"

"Rolf is always looking for opportunities to prove his strength."

"I see," Ryuji said, finishing off the piece of fish he was still holding, "Well, I guess that's one way of doin' it."

"Wait, it is?" Eddy questioned. "So what, I can just arm wrestle a Pokemon and it'll join my team?"

"I think you're missing the point," the brunette replied. "If you wanna catch a Pokemon, one way is to earn it's respect. Or earn it's trust, whatever it was that Rolf might have earned. A lot of trainers do it, even some of the previous Champions."

"Really?"

"Hell yeah. If you trust each other, you'll go far in this business."

As rudimentary as this advice might have sounded, it struck a particular chord, and struck it particularly well. These Pokemon were their teammates, and dished out the commands given by the trainers. They had to work with each other, if they wanted any chance of beating the gyms; or more importantly, if they wanted any chance of beating the Kankers. They'll need to trust their teams, and they'll have to get to work on that as soon as they could.

"Ugh, get away from me, ya dumb bird!"

Especially considering it seemed like some among them would have a harder time at that than others.

Sarah's Rowlet was curiously staring at her, as she held her own sandwich in her hands. Unfortunately, the young Grass Type had not made any progress in getting his young trainer to warm up to him, as evidenced by her sneer of annoyance.

"Sarah, I'm willing to bet Rowlet's hungry," Ryuji offered, "Don't you think you should feed it?"

"What? No way! I gotta feed myself first!"

"Well of course, but at least give him something, why don't ya?"

"It's a bird, right? Can't it just catch a worm or something?"

At this point, no one in the group was enjoying Sarah's attitude. She hadn't been much an annoyance thus far, but now she wasn't even trying. They'd all given bits of their rations to the Pokemon among them, because now they were effectively their pets. Yet here she was, not even willing to spare a bit to hold her Rowlet over until they got to the next town?

"Come on Sarah," Nazz said with a frown, "Be nice to the little dude. He's your friend now."

"Ugh, fine!" She said, ripping off a piece of her sandwich and giving it to the Grass Type. "Stupid bird..."

"We'll see how stupid ya think it is when you gotta fly somewhere!" Eddy snapped. This caused Double D, Sarah, and Kevin to all stare at Eddy with confusion.

"... What?" He asked, finishing off what was left of his lunch.

"Seriously, dude, what's up with you defending the bird?" Kevin asked. "I thought you said you hated birds."

To this, Eddy shrugged. "Well REAL birds, yeah. But Pokemon birds are freakin' awesome."

"What's the difference?"

"You mean besides that bird Pokemon don't poop on your head and steal your cash?"

A small laugh spread through the group at this line from Eddy, who was replaying scenes in his head of his adventure through Kanto on the Game Boy. A lot of them involved one particular Pokemon, who just so happened to be the answer to their inquiry.

"But for real," Eddy continued, "It's all thanks to my Dodrio. That bird was so useful, 'cuz he let me fly to any town I needed to go to. And plus, he was an absolute powerhouse with Hyper Beam. I almost felt bad when I swapped him out for Zapdos, but at least he got me to the League."

Hearing this, Kevin nodded. It was strange to hear, but it kind of made sense, given he knew Eddy to be something of an opportunist. So if these Bird Pokemon were beneficial, then it only made sense that he'd actually start to warm up to them.

"Well, if they're that useful," Kevin said as he looked to his Treecko. "I oughta get myself one. Especially if we end up doing a lot of backtracking."

"That's certainly an option," Ryuji commented, "I've seen quite a few trainers who had some fun riding their Pokemon everywhere. And plus, it's a great bonding experience for both the trainer and the Pokemon."

"And plus then I could get places faster. I'd usually have my bike, but my chain broke last night."

"... I'm starting to believe we've come woefully unprepared." Double D stated abruptly. Ryuji merely grinned at this, closing the box that once contained his lunch, and standing back up.

"Yeah, probably," he said as he stretched slightly, "But hey, that's all part of the journey, ain't it? We'll make our mistakes, and some of them might suck in the moment. But as long as we learn from it, I think we'll be fine."

* * *

As the humans finished their meals, the Pokemon all stepped away for a bit to let them have some more idle conversation. Among them, several little conversations of their own sprouted, as Pokemon from vastly different regions got the chance to finally get to know one another.

Among one of the first to interact was Treecko, who stepped lazily over to where Cyndaquil and Chikorita were both discussing something.

Chikorita noticed her fellow Grass Type, and was very excited to finally meet him.

"(Oh hi,)" she said sweetly, "(You're that one Grass Type from Hoenn, right?)"

Treecko nodded. "(It's nice to meet you, little lady. You're with the guy in the hat, if my memory is correct. And this one is Cyndaquil, the one who lost the fight earlier.)"

Cyndaquil looked away, the defeat still fresh in his mind. "(I'd... rather not have that brought up again.)"

"(Oh come on, it's not anything to be ashamed of,)" Chikorita told him, "(I'm sure we'll all lose at some point.)"

"(You think so?)"

"(Of course, dude,)" Treekco commented. "(It's all part of getting better, ain't it?)"

It was true enough, Cyndaquil knew. Even so, that did not make it sting any less for him. He knew he wasn't that strong, but every failure on his part hurt his trainer as well. He couldn't have that, after waiting so long to be a Pokemon that was used for trainer battles.

"(Well, all ya need is a push in the right direction,)" Treecko continued, slinging his arm over the back of Cyndaquil. "(Maybe you and me could work together to get stronger, yeah?)"

"(... You'd do that for someone you've known for like an hour?)"

"(Why not? I mean both our trainers are on this journey together, so that means you and I are basically on the same team.)"

Despite his logic being very sound, doubt still clouded the Fire Type's mind. What if he ended up holding Treecko back as well? Could he handle being not only dead weight for his trainer, but for the Pokemon of other trainers too? Such an idea certainly scared him, but so did disappointing this new guy who was being so nice to him.

Quite the conundrum indeed.

"(Look, I don't need an answer right away,)" Treeko told him, helping to take that weight off of Cyndaquil's shoulders. "(Let's just take this journey nice and slow, yeah? One step at a time, and figure it out as we do.)"

"(That sounds great!)" exclaimed Chikorita, in a very singsong tone, "(That way we can get to know each other better!)"

Treecko nodded, and started to walk away. Once he was out of earshot, Chikorita looked back to her fellow Johto starter, and had a huge smile.

"(He seems really nice,)" she said.

"(Oh yeah,)" agreed Cyndaquil, happy to have an ally that was willing to help. "(Honestly, I'm glad for all this. I'd never expected we'd all get to go on a journey together.)"

"(I know right? And plus, our trainers are so fun to be around.)"

Chikorita looked back to her trainer, watching as Double D shared a slight bit of food with a Pidgey that had come to their little circle. The smile on his face and the way he treated even complete strangers was something about him that she already liked. It seemed like they'd be an incredible team, at least if her gut feeling was correct.

But that was a thought for later, as she'd been in a conversation before Treecko arrived.

Meanwhile, not too far away, Totodile and Rattata were currently getting acquainted with one another. It was awkward, at least for the Normal Type who had made a complete and utter fool of himself earlier. Once again, his temper had proven to be a hindrance, but thankfully, Totodile was still very happy to speak with him.

"(This is so cool!)" the Water Type declared, "(Not even on the journey for a day, and we've already made a new friend! Glad to have you on the team, Rattata.)"

The rodent nodded. "(Well, good to be here, I guess. You're certainly a tough opponent.)"

"(Well, you're no slouch either. That Quick Attack hurt.)"

"(Heh, yeah... sorry about threatening to bite off your tail, by the way.)"

Totodile looked confused at this, but kept his sickeningly bright grin. Rattata was already sure this croc was the type who didn't take anything seriously.

"(It's just, sometimes my temper gets a little out of control, and I can end up overdoing it. I hope you can forgi-)"

Before he even got to finish that thought, two light blue arms were wrapped around him, almost crushing him with the sheer force behind the Johto starter's bear hug.

"(IT'S OKAY!)" Totodile exclaimed, "(You're my buddy, right?)"

Just like earlier, the adrenaline within the Normal Type began to spike. But this time, he was able to keep himself under control, as he simply agreed with the statement, before telling his newfound friend "(But if we're going to be buddies, I think we need to set a ground rule.)"

"(What kind of ground rule?)"

"(Keep the hugs to a minimum, ESPECIALLY as you evolve. I don't know how big you'll get, but if this is how strong you are now, I don't think I wanna risk getting crushed to death.)"

Hearing that, Totodile let go of Rattata, and looked away in embarrassment. He knew he was strong, but accidentally hurting a friend was something that terrified him. All he wanted to do was make his friends smile, and sometimes that demanded he restrain himself.

So probably best to start now.

"(Well anyway,)" Rattata started, trying to remove the tension from the situation. "(Wanna go hang out with our trainer?)"

"(Sure!)"

With that, their discussion ended, as the two Pokemon headed over to their numbskull of a trainer.

And only a short distance away, another conversation began. This time, it all began with their resident Alolan Grass Type. Much like earlier, his eyes were set on his trainer, who seemed to already be regretting her decision to come here. Rowlet watched intently, almost as if he was expecting something to happen. What that something was, no one was sure, not even Rowlet himself.

The only thing that managed to pull his attention was when he heard a familiar set of footsteps, virtually unheard unless you were Rowlet, and had grown up with them.

"(How are you doing, Litten?)" He asked, as the black and red cat sat beside him. "(Acclimating so far to this new region?)"

"(It's cold,)" Litten answered simply, "(Far colder than Melemele Island ever got.)"

"(Quite. And yet not unbearably cold either. The perfect climate for a rousing journey, I'd say.)"

Litten rolled his eyes, still rather unenthusiastic about the prospect of a journey. His annoyance was then compounded when Rowlet went back to staring at his trainer, who was currently whining about something or other.

"(Seems like you drew the short stick, my friend,)" Litten told him. "(Do you think you're going to be okay over this journey?)"

"(Oh, don't worry about me, Litten. I believe my trainer will do great.)"

"(Really? Come on, she's a total brat. What about that makes you think she'll be 'great'?)"

When Rowlet didn't give an answer, Litten sighed. He knew his friend was like this, but even after years of friendship, it was still utterly confusing. He lived by his own set of logic, answering questions only when he was ready, and moving in his own rhythm.

But finally, an answer was given, and it was about as vague as you can get.

"(I see potential within her, Litten.)"

"('Potential'? Really?)" Litten deadpanned, refusing to let his irritation overtake him. "(How about you just say what you mean?)"

"(Oh, but I did.)" Rowlet replied, as he turned to face the Fire Type. "(I see something within her, a great potential that can be unlocked. I couldn't describe it to you if you asked me, but I'm sure we'd both know it when we see it.)"

"(Well... if you say so. I just want you to be safe, old friend.)"

A hearty chuckle escaped from Rowlet's beak. "(Don't worry. I know what I'm doing.)"

As he said this, an emphatic cry of "Back to it!" could be heard coming from where their trainers were. Glancing that way revealed that they were all standing once again, and clearly ready to continue on. With that in mind, Rowlet noticed the other Pokemon approaching their trainers, and decided that it was time for him to join back up with Sarah. But the conversation was still fresh in his mind.

 _'(Litten, you worry too much,)'_ Rowlet thought, as he made his way over to be returned to his Poke Ball. _'(The journey has only begun. There is much time for her to grow.)'_

* * *

Not even half an hour later, and the party was already making their way through the final stretch of Route 29. Their feet were starting to ache at this point, but the battles were starting to become quicker and easier to figure out, as Ryuji's suggestions and hints started to crystalize within their minds.

They'd just finished up one last battle, this between Double D's new Pidgey and another wild Rattata. As the rat fled from the scene, Pidgey flapped its wings in victory, and Double D watched this display with pride.

"Another successful confrontation, gentlemen." Double D told the others as he readjusted his hat. "And some much needed experience for our newest companion."

"Fantastic," Ryuji told him. "You guys are pretty quick learners."

"Well I should certainly hope so. After all, Ed, Eddy, and I all come here with previous experience under our belts. And unless the typings of Pokemon are vastly different from what we know, I'm certain we'll be fine."

This elicited a laugh from their new friend, who replied simply with "Well, lucky for us, Cherrygrove City is within sight." He pointed behind where Double D was standing, and the brainiac's attention was brought right to the sight that made his day thus far.

It was a rather small, oceanside city, but already he could see the marks of this new world. A Pokemon Center and Poke Mart, he assumed by their specific coloration in contrast to every other building within the area. A sure sign that they were in the right place, and of course, another milestone in their journey.

Double D had wanted to say something, but was cut off immediately by Eddy rushing off in that direction. Impatient as ever, it seemed, as he jumped off the ledge and booked it to the town. Taking this as their sign, Ed rushed over as well, with the others following at a much more leisurely pace.

"Is he always that eager?" Ryuji questioned, as he began walking with the rest of the party.

"It's more like he's always gotta be first." Kevin explained. "Dorky's always been like that."

"I see... well at least that means we'll keep a consistent pace, if we have him to keep us going."

Kevin looked to Ryuji as they hopped down the ledge. "You always look on the bright side so much?"

The red-eyed boy shrugged. "What point is there in being down about the little things?"

"Rolf agrees," chimed in their resident farmboy. "The Ed boy's excitability is a very respectable trait. The thirst for adventure is very powerful, and has not been felt by Rolf since I crossed the sea with my Great Nano."

"Hopefully this journey will change that." Ryuji told them, "But for now, let's just get to the Pokemon Center. I can answer your questions there."

A collective nod in agreement was the party's response, as they sauntered on into the new city. Ryuji himself let them go ahead, waiting behind to ponder a few things. Looking back, he saw Mt. Silver in the distance, and smiled. The mountain looked so beautiful from this angle...

 _'Today went nothing like I expected it to,'_ he admitted, if to no one else but himself. _'But it's been fun so far. These new guys seem so interesting, so animated.'_

Grabbing the Poke Ball at his waist, he smiled at the small device. It had only been a couple of hours, but being on a journey awakened some old feelings from deep within. It had been a long while since he'd had the chance to make new friends, and now he had a whole region to explore with a whole cast of them.

And yet, some part of him felt like this might end badly.

 _'No no...'_ he told himself as he tried to shake that thought. _'This'll START badly. I have no idea how it'll end.'_

And knowing that made him somewhat intrigued to see. And so, with an extra bit of resolve in his mind, Ryuji started to jog over toward Cherrygrove City. The rest of his group was already there, and by the looks of it, the 3 Eds were already giving the others a little speech of their own. They'd only be in this town for a short while, that much he knew, but there was still so much to do.

And so much he was sure he'd have to explain.

* * *

**PARTY DATA:**

**EDDY**

Cyndaquil

\- Male

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Quiet Nature

\- Alert to Sounds

\- Moves: Tackle, Leer, Smokescreen

**ED**

Totodile

\- Male

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Torrent

\- Jolly Nature

\- Somewhat of a Clown

\- Moves: Scratch, Leer, Water Gun

Rattata

\- Male

\- Level 4

\- Ability: Guts

\- Adamant Nature

\- A Little Quick Tempered

\- Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Quick Attack

**DOUBLE D**

Chikorita

\- Female

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Gentle Nature

\- Good Endurance

\- Moves: Tackle, Growl, Razor Leaf

Pidgey

\- Male

\- Level 3

\- Ability: Keen Eye

\- Sassy Nature

\- Scatters things Often

\- Moves: Tackle

**KEVIN**

Treecko

\- Male

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Lax Nature

\- Thoroughly Cunning

\- Moves: Pound, Leer, Absorb

**ROLF**

Chimchar

\- Female

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Naughty Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Scratch, Leer

Geodude

\- Male

\- Level 3

\- Ability: Sturdy

\- Careful Nature

\- Loves to Eat

\- Moves: Tackle, Defense Curl

**NAZZ**

Popplio

\- Female

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Torrent

\- Calm Nature

\- Often Lost in Thought

\- Moves: Pound, Growl, Water Gun

Sentret

\- Male

\- Level 2

\- Ability: Run Away

\- Bashful Nature

\- Likes to Fight

\- Moves: Scratch, Foresight

**SARAH**

Rowlet

\- Male

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Brave Nature

\- Likes to Relax

\- Moves: Tackle, Growl, Leafage

**JIMMY**

Litten

\- Male

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Hardy Nature

\- Quick Tempered

\- Moves: Scratch, Growl, Ember

**RYUJI**

Fennekin

\- Female

\- Level 9

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Mild Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Scratch, Tail Whip, Ember


	3. A Learning Experience

**So with this chapter out of the way, I am officially further than I got last time. Yay me!**

**This is a more Double D-centric chapter, as he's the one trying to make sense of this predicament they're in. Hope you guys enjoy.**

* * *

The salty sea air of the Cherrygrove shores was an almost intoxicating smell, as the Eds breathed it in like there was no tomorrow. They had never experienced this specific scent, this mix of fragrant flowers and sea breeze, but now they could practically taste it, and there was something special about it.

The city was a sight to see, for sure. Smaller than what they were used to thinking of a city as being, but the rustic atmosphere made everyone almost feel like they'd never left home. People were out and about, interacting with one another as they went about their days, many accompanied by the kinds of Pokemon that they'd all seen out on the previous route.

But perhaps the most obvious and attention-grabbing sight within the entire area were two buildings, right nearby each other, with trainers entering in and out occasionally. The smaller building had a blue rooftop, and was labeled 'Poke Mart'. The other building however, was much larger - easily twice the size of the Poke Mart, and adorned with a red roof. The front door opened, and even from this distance, they could see a lobby, in which there were plenty of different trainers for them to interact with.

They'd only just got here, and already there was so much to explore.

"So everyone," Ryuji called out, as he caught up with the rest of the group, "Welcome to Cherrygrove, the first stop on our Johto journey. How are ya likin' it so far?"

"This city reminds Rolf much of the watering hole where we were attacked," Rolf said, as he scanned his surroundings with a grin.

"Yeah, but in a good way," Kevin added. "Like I could stay here and just enjoy a lazy beach day."

"Good to hear," their guide nodded, before focusing his attention on something. "Now, let's take an hour or two to rest, before we get a move on. That oughta give us enough time to get stuff done."

This was not an idea anyone was opposed to, especially given their feet were still aching slightly from the trek that just ended. As such, they followed Ryuji, as he made his way over to the massive red-roofed building. It was a short distance away, and once they approached, the door opened, allowing them to access the interior.

"Whoa..." was Eddy's only response, "THIS is a Pokemon Center!?"

There were 2 floors, separated by the staircases that led to the top floor, in between which rested a desk with a pink-haired woman standing at attention. The second floor was very long, possessing multiple doors, all of which were numbered, almost like a motel.

In the left corner of the floor they were on, there were small gatherings of trainers discussing everything from movesets to captures, either sitting in the seats around a small table, or leaning against the wall.

But in the right corner, there was a unique sight; behind a sliding door, they saw the silhouettes of trainers lifting weights, punching heavy bags, and running on treadmills. They seemed to be training themselves, as opposed to their Pokemon, with the only vaguely non-human shape appearing to be a Rhydon in the back, watching a trainer do dumbell curls.

"Welcome," the woman behind the front-desk declared, pulling Eddy from his curiosity-induced trance. "How can we assist you, sir?"

"What's goin' on here?" Eddy asked, "This is bigger than any Pokemon Center I've ever seen."

The Nurse nodded. "We've done some renovating, thanks to a generous donation from the League Association to all the Pokemon Centers in Johto. Now we have a well-stocked training room, for those who like to train themselves as well as their Pokemon. In addition, we have rooms we can rent out to trainers who need a place to rest."

"Wait, for real? We can sleep here?"

"Of course," the Nurse explained. "We strive to serve Trainers to the best of our abilities, and as such, offer them a place to rest their weary heads. For a small fee, we can register a room to you, and it is yours until noon the next day."

Eddy's heart dropped at the mention of 'fee', as he remembered that there was no cash in his wallet. And to make it worse, he was pretty sure any money he might have brought would have been useless. Meaning they were all flat broke, at least for now, and would probably have to sleep in the wilderness for a night or two.

Or at least, that's what he thought, until he remembered they had a new buddy who ACTUALLY lived here.

"Yo, Ryuji!" Eddy called out, catching the attention of the entire center with his lack of an 'inside voice' "Rent us rooms, will ya?"

With all eyes on the brunette, he simply let out a light chuckle, and said "Lemme guess, you forgot your money at home?"

"Yeah, let's go with that," Eddy replied, preferring that answer over the real one, "You gotta have some, don't ya?"

"Of course. I can cover for you for these first couple o' days."

And so, Ryuji came over, and paid the price for the rooms. He discussed it with the Nurse vaguely, who explained that the rooms were up to 3 people per room, and that she would require their ID so that they would be registered to the room. Reluctantly, Eddy pulled out his wallet, and revealed it to the woman, who then looked at him with confusion.

"Oh no, not that type of ID," she explained, "I meant your trainer ID, registered on your Pokedex. We need to register it so you can unlock the room."

This caused Eddy to be the confused one. "On my Pokedex? What are you talkin' about?"

"Don't you remember, Eddy?" Ryuji interjected. "Professor Elm had your trainer cards registered to your Pokedexes for convenience. Go ahead, see for yourself."

Sure enough, Eddy did just that, and checked the front page for an application called 'Trainer Card'. Pressing this window brought up a picture of himself, as well as a few lines of important info:

_'Eddy Skipper Sampson_

_Age: 13_

_Height: 4'9_

_Weight: 98 lbs_

_Current Region: Johto_

_Badges: 0'_

Annoyed at the mention of his height and the reminder of his lack of badges, Eddy begrudgingly showed the ID to the lady, who immediately scanned it, and registered him to Room 3. The process continued, as Ryuji brought everyone else up to get situated, and the current resting arrangements were all filled out.

By the end, they had the Eds all in Room 3, Kevin, Nazz, and Rolf in Room 4, and Sarah, Jimmy, and Ryuji in Room 5. Meaning that now they'd no doubt be staying here once they'd gotten Mr. Pokemon's egg.

"So, with that out of the way," Ryuji said happily, "You guys oughta go and have some fun. I have some things I gotta speak with Double D about."

"Ah, perfect," Double D declared, pulling out a second notepad labeled 'miscellaneous', "There are many inquiries I have come to gather since we came here. I hope you'll answer them to the best of your abilities."

"I'll try my best. Now follow me."

* * *

A few minutes later, the two boys were situated in Room 3, Ryuji at a table nearby the small TV, and Double D resting comfortably on the bed. Ryuji himself seemed a little apprehensive, almost as if he wasn't too sure of the answers he'd give. However, he took in a deep breath, and waited for Double D to start his questioning.

"So, let us begin with the more rudimentary questions, shall we?" Double D began, as he pulled out a pen. "So, as I'm sure you remember, Eddy mentioned that Pokemon was a video game in our world."

"Yep, and that still is a shock to the system," Ryuji joked.

Double D suppressed a chuckle, and continued his line of thought. "So, I would like to know if there are any inconsistencies with our current knowledge. For instance, are there any different Types or battling knowledge than what we're used to?"

Hearing this, the brunette looked to the ground for a moment, deep in contemplation as he tried to find the proper way to answer this. But perhaps the best way to find an answer would be to get some much-neeeded context.

"Well, let's start with the Typing," Ryuji finally said. "What Types are in your game?"

"If my memory serves, there is Normal, Fire, Grass, Water, Electric, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Rock, Ground, Flying, Psychic, Ghost, Bug, and Dragon."

Ryuji nodded. "So you're missing three Types then. You see, there's Steel, perhaps the most defensive Pokemon Type known to man, with so many resistances it's hard to keep track of. There's Dark, which is strong against the Psychic Type mainly, but weak to Fighting among other things. And lastly, there's Fairy, which is good against Dragon Types, but doesn't like Poison or Steel Types. Did you get all that?"

Double D nodded as well, jotting down notes at an incredible speed. "Is there anywhere I could get more detailed information on these Types?"

"Should be on your Pokedex. An app called Type Database."

Raising an eyebrow, the brainiac placed his notepad down, and pulled out his Dex. The Professor had not mentioned that specific one, but it was worth a check. A simple unlock later and there it was, plain as day.

One press, and he had access to all 18 Pokemon Types, which he used to check on the 'Steel' typing, first and foremost. There was a great well of curiosity within him about this 'most defensive Type', which was sated when he saw the many resistances. And when he saw them, his eyes went as wide as dinner plates.

"Good lord, that's over half of the Typings..." he stuttered, taking it all in. "And its offensive matchups are quite solid as well... is Steel a common Typing?"

"Well, the only Steel Types we have naturally back in Kanto are Magnemite and Magneton, which are Steel and Electric."

The notepad was snatched up with the speed of a rattlesnake's bite, as Double D made a note to 'remember that Magnemite is no longer a pure Electric Type'. And of course, that only raised more questions, as he wondered what other Types might be different than what he was used to. This was also further incentive to capture as many Pokemon as he could, so that he could keep a well-stocked file on everything in the local area, and learn the Type matchups for when he needed to battle.

Quickly writing as much as he could about the new Types, Double D found himself completely engrossed, and his curiosity having been increased tenfold. Once he had down everything he needed, he went to his next question, this one more related to battle.

"So Ryuji, you mentioned something about a 'Tajiri Scale' earlier? Could you please explain it in detail?"

"Luckily, that's a much easier concept," answered the older boy, "The Tajiri Scale is how we measure a creature's battle prowess. We split it evenly into 6 stats, and rate each one on a scale from 1 to 255."

"And these stats would involve HP, Attack, Defense, Special, and Speed, correct?"

"Well yes, but Special is split between Attack and Defense, just like the physical end of the spectrum."

"Fair enough... one last question."

Double D ran a hand through his newly blonde hair, unsure of how to articulate this one, or even if he should. Ryuji had taken everything in stride thus far, but there was always a worry of overloading their friend. Perhaps it was better to save this one for later.

Yet perhaps it was better to rip this proverbial bandage off now.

Letting the more bold part of his mind win out this time, the sock headed boy decided to ask.

"So, you remember how we mentioned that Pokemon is a video game in our world?" he asked, with Ryuji nodding almost immediately.

Basically having express permission, Double D went into detail about the plot of Pokemon Red and Blue, chronicling the two boys leaving their hometown, facing gym leaders, thwarting Team Rocket, and most importantly, facing each other at the Pokemon League. He left nothing out, leading to a story that took much longer than either side was expecting.

And by the end of it, Ryuji was pale as a ghost.

"Oh dear, I've overdone it, haven't I?"

It took a few seconds before the color returned to the brunette's face, but when he did, he had only one thing to say:

"That is... uncanny."

"Uncanny?"

Ryuji flinched, but responded quickly. "W-well, what I mean is, the parts involving Team Rocket and the League all happened. All done by Champion Red, before he became the League Champ."

"Champion Red?" Double D questioned. "So he's the person the player character was based on, perhaps?"

A shrug was the only answer he received.

This annoyed Double D slightly, since he'd hoped Ryuji might have all the answers he required, but he chose to stay silent in the face of it. "And how long ago was the incident involving Team Rocket, exactly?"

"About 3 years."

Carefully making sure to note that, almost all of Double D's initial questions were answered, satisfying him for now. With this extra info, the party would have a far easier time acclimating to their situation, his fellow Eds especially. With that in mind, he stood up, thanked Ryuji, and chose to leave the room, needing some fresh air, and time to crystallize his thoughts on this whole matter.

* * *

Stepping outside of his room left him with a strange taste in his mouth, as the new knowledge seeped into his mind.

 _'Amazing,'_ he thought as he stepped down the stairs, _'Truly immaculate. Three more Types than our norm! A quantifiable system of determining a Pokemon's battling capabilities! Special being divided into offensive and defensive prowess! Why, I'll have a field day here like none before!'_

But even as these positive emotions overtook him, there was something that still didn't click. The one unanswered question that now had him genuinely curious.

Just who was this 'Champion Red'?

Logically, Double D could deduce him to be the inspiration behind their player character, but that had so many implications. What was the Champion's team? What was his battle strategy? His battling record?

Perhaps a subject worthy of looking into on his own time. After all, it might be a good idea to study the masters.

Once he'd reached the first floor once again, it immediately jumped out at him how barren it looked now. His fellow trainers must have gone off to achieve personal goals while they were discussing these matters. Right now, the only other people here were the center Nurse, who was tending to a trainer holding an ice pack to the side of his head.

"There we go," she said soothingly, "That should help to reduce any swelling from the Poke Ball. Though I must ask, what were you doing somewhere as dangerous as Mt. Silver anyhow?"

The older trainer looked away, embarrassment clear from even where Double D was standing. "If you must know," he began, "I was following a rumor. A little birdy told me that Champion Red was currently residing on that mountain. So I went up there to see if that was true."

Seeing an opportunity to get an answer, Double D wasted no time approaching. "Excuse me, sir," he politely inquired. "Did you say Champion Red?"

"I did indeed."

"Perfect. You see, I'm new around here, and I've been recently informed of this Champion Red fellow. Do you think you could offer any info on him?"

This elicited a shocked look from the trainer, but he responded in kind. "To put it simply..." he started, "Red is the best. An undefeated Champion. Some would even say an unbeatable Champion."

"Unbeatable?" asked Double D, "Come now. No one is truly that well-versed in any particular field."

"You would think," the man retorted, "But Red is different. He doesn't even speak, and yet his Pokemon always pick the right move for the situation. It's almost like they're in perfect sync. Like they know each other so well they don't NEED to even say it."

It was now Double D's turn to be shocked, as he heard this explanation, which sounded too far fetched to believe. Yet some part of him couldn't help but believe, maybe just because the concept seemed so intriguing.

"You said that he was out on Mt. Silver?"

"Well, no," he corrected, "I said there was a rumor that he was on Mt. Silver, and that's where he's been hiding since he vanished last year. I went up to check it out for myself, but turns out it was complete bunk. And to make matters worse, I got hit in the head by a Poke Ball."

A twinge of proxy guilt ran through the blonde, who quickly muttered, "My deepest apologies. A friend of mine threw a Poke Ball with a bit too much force while we ventured through Route 29 earlier."

"Route 29? What, is your friend part Machamp?" the man joked.

"Heh heh... anyway, this 'Red' fellow. What does he look like?"

"Oh, you'd know him when you see him. The way he carries himself is unmistakable. Other than that, let's just say he's called 'Red' for a reason."

Once again, another vague answer, which was more than a little irritating. But that final sentence was what grabbed his focus more than anything.

 _'He's known as 'Red' for a reason...'_ Double D considered, _'So, that alone gives me a few pieces of information. That tells me that 'Red' is likely a pseudonym, or if that's his real name, it is that way for a specific reason. Perhaps it is a color he is well-associated with. He could dress in mostly red, or perhaps have red hair. Or what about...'_

*CRASH!*

All three present individuals jumped at the loud noise, looking back to see the massive indent left in the side of the building because of whatever it was slamming into it. Rushing outside, they all were greeted with the sight of one of the group.

There was Eddy, sprawled out on the ground with an ancient looking fishing pole in hand. He must have hit the side of the building by reeling in something far too large, and judging by how he was clutching his head, it must have been one hell of an impact.

"ED BOY!" Rolf screamed, as he rushed over and grabbed the rod. "Be careful with Rolf's fishing pole! This is a family heirloom, passed down from my Great Nano's Great Nano!"

Hearing this, Eddy got back up at an unprecedented speed. "I'M FINE, THANKS FOR ASKIN'!" He yelled, surveying the area, "Now where's my damn Pokemon!?"

And as if on cue, a set of little legs scuttled over, and the others were greeted by the sight of a familiar crustacean Pokemon - a Krabby. But much to everyone's surprise, he wasn't alone, accompanied by a Horsea, currently on land and balancing on the end of its tightly curled tail.

"Ah crap, that explains it! Two for the price o' one!" Eddy pulled out his Poke Ball, and looked to Rolf. "Hey stretch, you wanna help me with this battle?"

"It would be an honor. Rolf will catch one of these two Pocket Monsters. Now come out, small rock with arms!"

The two trainers threw their Poke Balls into the sky, and out of them burst Cyndaquil and Geodude. The Rock Type looked on to his opponents, and nodded.

"(Flaming one,)" he said, glancing to the side, "(This is a battle where I will most likely only get off one attack. Do your best not to lose.)"

Cyndaquil nodded. "(I'll try... I don't want to let Eddy down again.)"

"Alright Cyndaquil, use Leer!" Eddy commanded.

Before the Fire Type could get off the move, a stream of bubbles was aimed at both he and his partner. It certainly hurt Cyndaquil as his flames were suppressed by the Water Type attack, but he was able to keep standing. Geodude, on the other hand, was flung backward, as if he'd just been hit with a massive Hydro Pump. Yet miraculously, he stood back up, as if nothing had happened.

"What in the world?" Double D questioned. "Even a weak water move such as that should have been more than enough to take out a Level 3 Geodude."

"And it would, usually. But clearly, his Geodude must have Sturdy for its ability. That saves it from being knocked out in a single hit."

It took a second or two for that to click. He remembered noting that Rattata earlier had 'Guts' listed as an ability, and his Pidgey had 'Keen Eye' when he'd scanned it. The idea of Pokemon having inherent abilities had completely slipped his mind during his conversation with Ryuji, but that was something that definitely needed to be understood by his compatriots. So, he made sure to make one last note, thoroughly enjoying the many new concepts that there were.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Cyndaquil was watching on in abject shock that Geodude survived that hit. He knew the Pokemon was Rock and Ground, and such a hit should have been more than enough to knock him out.

"(Grr... they're fast,)" Geodude managed to say, "(Looks like this is one where I got in over my head. Flaming one, go on without Geodude.)"

"(Do you have any idea what he's talking about?)" Krabby questioned to his partner. "(Is he going to lose that easily?)"

"(He's a Rock Type, and they don't like water,)" Horsea explained, her eyes glancing between the two sides of the battlefield, "(I... wouldn't go for Bubble again.)"

"(Why not?)" Krabby asked.

"(Well, I wouldn't want to accidentally kill him. Would you?)"

"(Fair point. VISE GRIP IT IS!)"

While he was distracted, Eddy's Leer went off without a hitch, lowering the defenses of both Water Types. Krabby scuttled over, and brought one of its claws down on Geodude, who was immediately overwhelmed, even though the damage was nothing special. Rolf watched as his Geodude was thrown back at him, eyes glazed over, and completely slack-jawed.

"Small rock with arms!" Rolf called out, picking up his newer team member, "Stand back up and show these creatures of the sea what you are made of!"

"I don't think he can, Rolfy boy." Eddy told him. "Looks like he fainted, and he won't be able to fight again until he gets healed at the Pokemon Center."

"So then, is Rolf unable to continue battling?"

"You've still got Chimchar. Send her out!"

The son of a shepherd nodded, returning Geodude to his Poke Ball, and sending out the Sinnoh starter out in his place.

"(Oh hey, it's you again.)" She greeted. "(And by the look of it, you're in a bit of a losing battle here.)"

Cyndaquil was dead silent, his focus on the two sea creatures ahead of them.

"Alright, we're gonna have to focus fire that Horsea. Use Smokescreen!" Eddy called out.

"As Eddy's flaming mouse does that, you scratch at the sea horse!" Rolf commanded.

With a strategy in mind, the two released their attacks, but were immediately stopped by another stream of bubbles, this time from Krabby. The attack was severely weaker than that of Horsea's but did manage to make Chimchar reel back, far more than it did with Cyndaquil.

"(Crap...)" Chimchar squeaked out. "(That was a critical hit, I'm sure of it.)"

And to make matters worse for the flaming simian, she saw a small smokescreen aimed at her from Horsea. The jet-black gunk hit her square in the face, and she screeched out while trying to wipe it away from her eyes. But her commands were clear, and she attempted to act them out, sight be damned.

The scratch attack connected, knocking Horsea back, which was further compounded by Cyndaquil's smokescreen hitting her square in the eyes. By this point, some of the others had come to watch this altercation, including the likes of Jimmy and Sarah, who were both enamoured by the Water Type that bounced back to its standing position.

"Nice one, Rolf!" Eddy said with a raised fist. "Now come on! We just gotta hit it again."

"Indeed! Second verse, same as the first, flaming monkey!"

"Then I'll do the same! Smokescreen, one more time!"

This time, Rolf's starter was the one who moved first, attempting another strike in the general direction of Horsea. However, the gunk in her eyes made it hard to see where she was aiming, and she missed by a slight margin. In retaliation, Horsea released a stream of bubbles that slammed right into Chimchar's chest, but narrowly missing Eddy's Cyndaquil.

"Rolf is out of battling monsters! These creatures of the sea are too mighty for Rolf to face!"

"Then go talk with the Nurse," urged Eddy, "She'll heal 'em up, and I'll handle the rest! Yo, Double D, get in here and help me!"

One friend left the scene, and another tried to enter in. But before the brainiac could take Rolf's place, he was pushed out of the way by Sarah. She barged into the battle and said "I want that sea horse! Now help me get it!"

"No way! I called Double D over!"

"He already caught something! I'm getting this one!" Sarah pulled out her Poke Ball, "Alright, bird! Kick that sea horse's butt!"

Rowlet entered the battlefield, stretching his little wings as he stared to his opponents. "(Capital,)" he declared, "(These two are clearly both Water Types, meaning this shall be an easy capture for my trainer.)"

"(That's your trainer?)" Horsea questioned. "(She seems kinda... mean.)"

"(She is,)" Rowlet declared proudly. "(But she is my trainer, and I will fight for her.)"

Using the opportunity, Cyndaquil let off a second Smokescreen, further lowering Horsea's accuracy, as Krabby rushed in to Vise Grip the new Grass Type, dealing a good chunk of damage through his grassy feathers.

"What the heck!? Do something!" Sarah demanded, "Attack it!"

"You gotta give him a command, Sarah," Eddy tried to explain. "It's a bird, so it probably has Peck. Tell it to do that!"

"Ugh! Fine! Peck the sea horse, or whatever you do!"

Try as he might, Rowlet was unable to break Krabby's grip, which caused Krabby to keep gripping as tight as he could. Eddy watched in shock, as this combination of techniques resulted in even more damage being sustained by Rowlet than before.

"Cyndaquil! Tackle that son of a bitch!" said Eddy, and Cyndaquil did as commanded. The mouse went forward and slammed into Krabby, dealing a surprising amount of damage, and releasing Rowlet from his iron grip.

"(Not bad,)" Krabby commended. "(But NOT good enough!)"

Rowlet went in to finish his commanded course of action, dealing a good chunk of damage to Horsea. However, almost as soon as this was done, she retaliated back with a wild, aimless bubble, that barely tickled Rowlet, but dealt severe damage to Cyndaquil. The Fire Type stepped onto his back foot, both literally and metaphorically, and let out a shaky breath.

And from the distance, this had Eddy worried.

"C'mon Cyndaquil!" He called out, fearful that this would be his second loss, and against a wild Pokemon no less. "We can't give up, bud! You gotta keep goin'!"

Spurred on by the words of his trainer, Cyndaquil's back flames flared up more than any of them had seen thus far.

"Alright, that's what I like to see! Come on, Tackle him again!"

Currently, Krabby was scuttling off to attempt another Vise Grip on Rowlet, and Cyndaquil broke into a charge to stop this in its tracks. Unfortunately, he was just a bit too slow, and Krabby was able to get his claws right back on Rowlet. The sheer force was too much for the poor bird, even for the second or two that it happened, and that spelled the end of Rowlet's - and by extension, Sarah's - involvement in the fight.

Krabby threw the Grass Type back to his trainer, and Eddy could swear he saw a blood vessel pop in Sarah's skull.

"YOU'VE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!" she yelled indignantly, "THIS BIRD IS SO USELESS! WHY COULDN'T I HAVE GOTTEN SOMETHING STRONGER!?"

A groan escaped Eddy, who was having a damper put on his mood. He did NOT need this.

"Look, just get inside the Pokemon Center, and have the Nurse heal him up," he demanded of the younger girl, "You ain't gonna be any help like this."

"You can't tell me what to do!" She pulled out a Poke Ball. "I'll catch that stupid animal and fight with that!"

While he wanted to object, the Poke Ball was out of Sarah's hands before he could even get a word in edgewise. It flew way over the head of Horsea, resulting in Krabby getting a hearty laugh, which he readily aimed at the now completely fuming girl.

"FINE!" She yelled. "I didn't want either of you anyway!" As she turned around, returning Rowlet to her Poke Ball was her first action, followed by stomping off back to the Pokemon Center, resulting in the ground shaking slightly with every step.

It looked like it would be left as a two-against-one bout once more, but as Eddy tried to call for something, he heard a set of footsteps approach from his left side. They were soft, which gave Eddy a clue as to who it might be. But he knew it'd be smart to wait and see who was joining him.

And sure enough, it was the other youngest member of the group, Jimmy. Before Eddy could even speak, the burst of light came from his Poke Ball, revealing his Litten.

"You gonna help me knock them down, fluffy?"

"Sure," he said softly, but with a certain strength behind it, "I'll finish what Sarah started. Litten, use scratch and help Eddy's Cyndaquil!"

The two Fire Types practically moved in sync, with Litten's claws landing first, and Cyndaquil slamming into Krabby immediately afterward. The combined damage nearly knocked him on his back, and now he was staring down two angry starters.

"Um, Eddy?" Jimmy questioned. "Should I throw the ball now?"

"Let's do it!" Eddy told him with glee, while grabbing his own Poke Ball. "But I get first crack."

With a nod, Jimmy pulled out an empty ball of his own, and they each aimed for one of the two wild Pokemon; Eddy's ball went toward Krabby, with Jimmy's aimed at Horsea.

The two capsules landed simultaneously, and everyone watched as both Pokemon were brought within. Tension rose as the two balls began to shake vigorously, jittering one way, then another, and back again...

Before two resounding *DINGS* were heard together, signaling the capture of two new members.

"Alright!"

Both boys rushed in, grabbing their Poke Balls off the ground, with Eddy grinning ear to ear, and Jimmy holding it close, his affection already evident for his new team member. While the others came over and began to shower the boys in congratulations, Jimmy himself couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

He'd only seen half the battle, starting when Rolf's Chimchar entered the battlefield, but that was easily the most intense thing he'd ever seen. Watching as Eddy tried to work under the pressure of their bubble blasts and that crab's powerful claws, it got his adrenaline going. And now thanks to a little boost of courage, he'd been able to join at the last moment, and catch one of the two for himself.

"I'll have to be sure to thank Rolf and Sarah," he declared. "I hope they're not too mad at me for catching the little guy."

"I wouldn't worry too much, shrimp." Eddy told him, gesturing for them to head to the Pokemon Center. "Always gotta work with opportunity, ya know?"

That made sense to the younger boy, who couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Are ALL real battles that exciting?"

"I sure as hell hope so! That was freakin' fun! And now I got a Water Type to cover some o' Cyndaquil's weaknesses!"

"Cover?"

"Hell yea, Jimmy. We got 6 slots for our teams, so I try to cover as many bases as I can. You should do the same."

Jimmy did a double take at that. Eddy giving him advice? Not only was that unusual in every sense of the word, but it was also worrying. There were three times he could think of where this happened, and each of these times didn't end TOO well for at least one of them.

 _'But then again,'_ he reasoned, _'What he's saying does make a lot of sense, if I'm using a team so big. And plus, we did win an Emmy for one of those episodes... I think.'_

The sliding doors of the Pokemon Center opened, as the two boys entered in, only to be greeted by not only their previous spectators and battlers, but also both Ryuji and Nazz.

"Hey guys," Ryuji greeted, "So, did you end up winning your battle?"

"You know it!" gloated Eddy. "Now I got a Krabby on my side. And Jimmy was the one who finally caught that damn Horsea."

Sarah and Rolf both had their eyes on Jimmy, but for very different reasons. The foreign boy approached and placed an arm around his friend's shoulder. "Excellent work, boy Jimmy!" He congratulated. "May that Pocket Monster serve you well, and knock down many mighty foes with those sissy bubbles that it releases!"

"Gee, thanks Rolf! But I couldn't have done it without you or Sarah fighting so hard."

As much as her anger was still burning, hearing that made the redheaded girl smile slightly. Even if she'd been utterly humiliated by that stupid thing, at least Jimmy was happy now, and if Jimmy was happy, that was good enough for her. And even though it lost, she technically had her bird to thank for this.

 _'Alright, I guess I'll forgive it for losing,'_ she thought, before quickly adding _'But ONLY this once.'_

"Good to know we're catching some Pokemon with incredible potential," Ryuji chimed in. "Nazz just got back with a new Pokemon of her own."

"Oh really?" Eddy asked, as he glanced over to the blonde. "So, what'cha get?"

"Oh, uh..." she stammered, "Well, I went up to the north a bit, and I caught a Caterpie."

"Sweet!"

"Wait, what's a Caterpie?" Sarah questioned.

As if on cue, the others noticed a strange bunching of Nazz's white overshirt, which not a second later was revealed to be her newest Pokemon. Perhaps the largest insect any among them had ever seen, the massive green caterpillar looked to the party with a tilted head, and closed her big eyes.

"(Pleased to meet you!)" she exclaimed, only to be stopped by a shrill, piercing scream from the group's resident wimp.

"Creepy crawly!" He exclaimed, looking like he was close to a heart attack at the sight of such a large bug. "Get it away from me! Get it away!"

Eddy chuckled in response to this. "Some things never change. Jimmy being a wuss aside, I can think of worse Pokemon to have than Butterfree." He looked over to their guide, and asked. "You think that'll help her with the first gym, big man?"

However, before Ryuji could answer, he was interrupted by the beauty's response.

"Actually guys..." she started slowly, unsure of how to word this. "I, um, don't think I wanna battle. Like, at all."

A collective silence went through the center, that lasted a good three seconds before the loudmouthed Eddy shot back with "Wait, WHAT!?"

"Yeah, I just wasn't having any fun," she explained. "And Ryuji said we could just have 'em as pets. So I think I'm just gonna catch some that I think are cute, you know?"

"But Nazz, don't you think that would be a foolish choice to determine this so early on?" Double D questioned, trying to keep a rational head here, "You'll end up missing out on so many great experiences if you're not willing to participate."

"Not necessarily," Ryuji countered. "She'll just have her own unique set of experiences. Nothin' wrong with that."

Double D and Eddy both looked to the brunette, who leaned against the front desk and wore a surprisingly sagely smile.

"Different people get different things out of Pokemon journeys," he continued, "There are some people who train them for battles, others who train them for Pokemon Contests, and some people just don't train them at all. So whatever Nazz decides to do, that's her call. After all, she's on this journey too."

"Yeah, I guess so," Eddy conceded, before a thought made him chuckle slightly, "And plus, that means less competition when we finally get to the league, boys."

Nazz giggled at the sudden change in tune. "Glad to see you're seeing things my way, Eddy."

* * *

It took an hour and a half before the party got moving again, as everyone had settled into doing their own things for a while. They would have been on the road earlier, but the Pokemon Center was rather comfortable, and Double D had insisted on going over their supplies, so that Ryuji knew what to buy. And after he got everything, they had to divide it up evenly, since everything wouldn't fit into his simple little drawstring bag.

Tedious as this was, the process granted them a whole host of supplies, including battle items, food for their Pokemon, and some extra non perishables for the road. And once they were on the road, their pace was consistent once again.

... Well, as consistent as one would expect when you had a horde of Caterpie mobbing you at every given opportunity.

They'd been out here for an extra half hour already, thanks to the constant threat of battling Pokemon. Now everyone was starting to see why Professor Elm said it would take them until tomorrow morning. At this rate, it'd be evening by the time they got back to town, and that was assuming they found Mr. Pokemon's house quickly.

But even so, this didn't put a damper on the Eds' moods, and Ryuji looked as easygoing as ever.

"Now remember everyone," Ryuji told them, as they followed the main roads toward a nearby house, "Don't feel pressured to catch anything while you're out here. We'll be coming back, and if you don't see anything that catches your eye, that's fine."

"Good to know," Kevin said, returning his starter to the Poke Ball after a hard-fought battle, "I oughta try catching something though. My Treecko's looking a lot worse off than before we got out here."

As they continued on past the house, having been revealed to not be Mr. Pokemon's abode, it looked like the party was going to have to make their way through a large patch of tall grass in order to continue their northward travel. Before they continued through however, Ryuji called over to them, his only explanation being "This way might be a little faster."

Coming over to where he was, the party noticed a fairly large ledge, coming up to about his waist. This wasn't the first time they'd seen them - in fact, it was a common sight on Route 29 - but they'd yet to think to just move past them. However, seeing Ryuji jump up onto the higher ground set that delusion straight, specifically for the Eds, who had only ever used them to head downward.

 _'Truly strange to be exploring this world without the limits of game design mechanics to inhibit us,'_ mused Double D, as he stepped over with the rest of the group. One by one, they made their way up, and continued forward until they came to a fork in the road. To their left, a path stretching out toward the north, and divided from the rest of the land by many trees.

However, to their north was what grabbed everyone's attention.

"Look!" Ed called out excitedly, "The Rattata is facing his evil twin brother, as two clones duke it out for dominance!"

A cursory glance allowed the rest of the group to see exactly what their friend was babbling on about, and they could see how he could come to such a conclusion. Two boys stood, dressed almost identically to one another, each with a Rattata who were currently locked in a clash of their tackle attacks.

"Well that's always nice," Ryuji commented, "It's good to see the youngsters getting in some training while they can."

"That ain't the way we have to go, right?" asked Eddy, as he looked to their other path option.

"I don't think so, considering I don't see a house anywhere that way. Let's try the other direction, shall we?"

This began everyone down the eastward path, following it to be lead right to a huge patch of tall grass, directly before a set of trees that split their current trail right down the middle. It was off the dirt road, but there looked to be little resistance, or trainers in there way.

And so, they started to move through the grasses, taking great care to move lightly, so as to not get into more battles than they had to. Every step was a risk, and their Pokemon weren't in the best shape after those battles. They had potions, but Ryuji had warned them to save those for emergencies, which they were hopeful they would not have to deal with.

Unfortunately, the scuttling sound of little legs behind them dashed that hope immediately.

As soon as they saw a house in their field of vision, a loud hiss could be heard from behind the party, revealed to them to be a massive spider. Or at least, they thought it might be a spider, given its shape, but the fact that it only had 6 legs brought that into question to some degree. Regardless, its body was mostly green, with a set of red mandibles, yellow legs, large black eyes, and a single horn.

But perhaps it's most defining feature was the markings on the back of its abdomen, which made the invertebrate look like it had a face on its back. Currently, that face was a smile, as it approached the party.

"A Spinarak?" Ryuji questioned. "What the heck is one doing out at this hour?"

"Spinarak?" Eddy asked, pulling out his Pokedex, "That's a new one."

After a second passed, the scan was complete, allowing Eddy access to this entry:

_'Spinarak, the String Spitter Pokemon_

_Bug/Poison Type_

_The webs weaved by Spinarak can be considered a second nervous system. It is said that this Pokemon can determine what type of prey is touching its web just by the tiny vibrations it feels through the web's strands.'_

"Why is every bug here so big!?" Jimmy screamed, rushing off into another patch of grass, much to his best friend's dismay. She followed after him, running headlong into danger, which caused Ed to give chase immediately.

"Ah crap," muttered Ryuji, "We gotta stay together, guys!"

"Then go after 'em," Kevin responded, pulling out a Poke Ball. "I'll beat this bug."

"Are you sure?" the older boy questioned. "Your Treecko's a Grass Type, meaning it's at a disadvantage against a Poison Type like Spinarak."

"I'll figure it out." Kevin insisted, throwing his Poke Ball into the air, revealing his battle partner to the wild Pokemon. "Now go to Mr. Pokemon's place. I'll catch up, dudes."

With nothing more than a nod, the remaining five bolted forward to make up their lost ground. The tall grass rustled fervently with every impassioned step, scaring off a good chunk of Pokemon within the vicinity, and moving too fast for the ones who had intent to jump them. It was more than a bit of a hassle, but eventually, they were able to catch up to their younger members, who were catching their breath after such a run.

"Seriously, Fluffy, stop doin' that!" Eddy yelled, before turning his ire to his friend. "And you! Why the heck did you chase after 'em, Monobrow!?"

"But Eddy, she's my baby sister!" Ed tried to reason.

"She's also a goddamn boxer!"

The shorter boy continued to rant and rave for a few seconds, allowing everyone to take in their surroundings. The beautifully painted wooden exterior of a house bombarded their vision, and a plaque on the outside confirmed where exactly they were; in clearing that large patch of land, they had finally made it to Mr. Pokemon's house.

"Well, we've finally arrived," Double D declared, "Let us venture inside, and speak to the man himself."

Out of sheer courteousness, Double D made sure to knock first, and only opened the door when he heard an older man on the other side of it tell them that "It's open!"

With nothing else inhibiting them, the group entered.

* * *

The cool air of the man's house was inviting, as the party was met with the sight of Mr. Pokemon sitting on his couch, a slight twitch of his mustache the only indication of his change in emotion. He stood up slowly, and approached the party.

"So, you must be the party that Elm mentioned," he said with a voice both smooth and refined. "Well, I'll cut to the chase, children. This is what I need Professor Elm to examine."

Heading over to a display case tucked away in the top left of the room, the older man pulled out a decently large container, made almost entirely of glass, allowing the party full view of what was within.

This egg was absolutely huge, far larger than an even the biggest of ostrich eggs (though only Double D knew that part), and with a very distinct pattern across the outside of it. Many small red and blue triangles decorated its surface, helping to make it appear more unique compared to any egg they'd ever seen. Almost like an Easter egg, but real.

"I see I've caught your attention," He declared, handing the egg to the closest member, "Do take great care with that egg. I received it from a friend in Ecruteak City, who insisted it is a rare species here in Johto."

"Oh, marvelous," Double D scanned the egg with intense curiosity. "And you believe it might be beneficial to Professor Elm's research?"

"Why of course," an unknown voice called out from the other side of the room, "The man is the authority on Pokemon breeding and reproduction. No other Professor has quite the understanding he does."

Ryuji froze up at the voice, but everyone else was immediately curious as to who they had missed, and how. All it took was a look to the group's right, and there he was, plain as day. A man of about fifty, with greying hair, a lab coat over his casual clothing, and a very inviting smile. To a good chunk of the group, he looked simply like an old scientist, but there were 4 who knew better.

And among them, an excited squeal came from the unlikeliest source.

"Oh my word!" Double D said excitedly, rushing over to the Professor with glee in his eyes and an unbridled smile. "You're Professor Oak, THE Pokemon Professor! It's an honor sir, I never thought I'd receive the chance to speak to you! There is so much I'd li-"

In the middle of his gushing, the brainiac was pulled back by Eddy, who grabbed him by the ear.

"Lay off him, sockhead," Eddy warned, "You're acting like a crazed fangirl right now."

"My apologies, Eddy," he responded, "I don't know what came over me."

A hearty laugh escaped Professor Oak's throat, as he looked to the group with approval. "It's quite alright, you two," he told them, "Unfortunately, as much as I'd love to stay and discuss things, I was simply here to visit an old friend. But somehow, I feel we'll meet again. After all, you're clearly travelling with one of my acquaintances."

The professor's eyes locked to Ryuji, who tried his best to avoid eye contact with the older man. He approached slowly, making it quite evident that there was no getting out of this conversation.

"It's good to see you again, Rik- er, wait..." Professor Oak paused, and then shook his head. "Forgive me, I'm terrible with names. Could you please jog my memory?"

"Ryuji Kazama, sir," their friend answered, "I didn't know you were in Johto."

"Nor did I know you were in Johto. I suppose you must have made a snap decision instead of going through Kalos, huh?"

Ryuji nodded.

"Well then, I'd say your new friends are in good hands."

The Pokemon Professor turned around, staring at the group, almost as if he was sizing them up. "I assume you all have received Pokedexes from Elm, correct?"

Another nod, this time collectively from the remaining 7 trainers.

"Excellent," he continued, "I hope you'll all go on to fill out as much of your Pokedexes as possible. And whatever you all choose to do on your journey, be sure to watch over each other. Whether this is your first, second, or even tenth Pokemon journey, part of your strength will come from unity. Never forget each other."

Having said that, the good professor turned and began to walk out of the house. A brief silence overtook them, as the advice took form within their heads, further solidifying their collective resolve.

"Ah, always the enigmatic one," Mr. Pokemon mused, "But I'm sure he has his reasons. Before you go, I'm sure it was no picnic on the way here, so how about you and your Pokemon take a rest?"

No one argued with that, and decided to take a few minutes to relax before they headed back out.

* * *

A few minutes turned into an hour, as Mr. Pokemon invited them to stay for a meal, which the party was all too ready to accept. Once Kevin had rejoined with them, they were ready to eat, and made sure to enjoy the cooking of their gracious host. By the time they were done, the group was well-fed, and ready to return on the road again. It was getting closer to evening with every passing minute, and at the rate they were going, they would most likely have to stay at the Pokemon Center for the night.

But that was not an issue, as at this point, a general sense of levity had overtaken everyone. Even though they'd left that morning with the intention of catching the Kankers, the general attitude of this first day had left them with a good taste in their mouths.

"Alright, as much as I'm lovin' this," said Eddy, opening up the door for the rest of the party. "We need to get a move on. Day's not getting any brighter, and I don't wanna sleep on the floor."

"Yeah yeah," Kevin responded as he exited, his newly captured Spinarak on his shoulder, "At least that's all out of the way. Hopefully we can get more done in the morning."

"Yeah, dude," Nazz added in, being the last one to exit the building. "I can't wait to catch some more cute Pokemon."

Once they were all present and accounted for, Ryuji was quick to start leading them back to town. Their footsteps were light, but meant to cover plenty of distance - clearly meant to avoid any unnecessary battles until they made their way back to the dirt path.

It seemed like they'd be able to avoid startling any beasts if they kept a steady pace. At least they thought so for all of 5 seconds. To the group's left, there was an intense rustling in the trees, indicating that whatever was in there was a very large beast.

"Ah crap..." Eddy sighed, "MORE battles? This is starting to get ridiculous!"

"Perhaps we can avoid this one," Ryuji whispered, "We don't even know what kind of beast it might be. Maybe we can lose its attention by throwing a rock or something."

"Good idea! Now, where's a rock?"

"Hello!? Is that another person?"

Everyone froze at that voice. The rustling continued, but now everyone knew it was a person. Footsteps could be heard as the new guy approached, close enough for the party to actually get a good look at his silhouette.

"Over here," Kevin called out. "You need help, dude?"

"Nah, we're just happy to here there's someone else out here! Right buddy?"

This elicited a raised eyebrow, as the person finally came into full view. And when he did, the immediate response was a collective gasp. The boy was about their ages, and almost everyone in the group could recognize him.

The tanned skin, the shaved head, those plain clothes and sandals, and that stupid grin on his face were so easy to recognize. Despite the different proportions, as well as all of these features being rather unremarkable, they managed to catch the attention of the Cul-De-Sac kids without question. This was a face they knew, and one they had not seen in over half a year...

"JONNY!?"

* * *

**PARTY DATA:**

**EDDY**

Cyndaquil

\- Male

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Quiet Nature

\- Alert to Sounds

\- Moves: Tackle, Leer, Smokescreen

Krabby

\- Male

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Hyper Cutter

\- Jolly Nature

\- Likes to Fight

\- Moves: Vise Grip, Bubble, Mud Sport

**ED**

Totodile

\- Male

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Torrent

\- Jolly Nature

\- Somewhat of a Clown

\- Moves: Scratch, Leer, Water Gun

Rattata

\- Male

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Guts

\- Adamant Nature

\- A Little Quick Tempered

\- Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Quick Attack

**DOUBLE D**

Chikorita

\- Female

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Gentle Nature

\- Good Endurance

\- Moves: Tackle, Growl, Razor Leaf

Pidgey

\- Male

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Keen Eye

\- Sassy Nature

\- Scatters things Often

\- Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack

**KEVIN**

Treecko

\- Male

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Lax Nature

\- Thoroughly Cunning

\- Moves: Pound, Leer, Absorb

Spinarak

\- Female

\- Level 2

\- Ability: Insomnia

\- Naïve Nature

\- Alert to Sounds

\- Moves: Constrict, Poison Sting, String Shot

**ROLF**

Chimchar

\- Female

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Naughty Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Scratch, Leer

Geodude

\- Male

\- Level 4

\- Ability: Sturdy

\- Careful Nature

\- Loves to Eat

\- Moves: Tackle, Defense Curl, Mud Sport

**NAZZ**

Popplio

\- Female

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Torrent

\- Calm Nature

\- Often Lost in Thought

\- Moves: Pound, Growl, Water Gun

Sentret

\- Male

\- Level 2

\- Ability: Run Away

\- Bashful Nature

\- Likes to Fight

\- Moves: Scratch, Foresight

Caterpie

\- Female

\- Level 4

\- Ability: Shield Dust

\- Calm Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Tackle, String Shot

**SARAH**

Rowlet

\- Male

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Brave Nature

\- Likes to Relax

\- Moves: Tackle, Growl, Leafage

**JIMMY**

Litten

\- Male

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Hardy Nature

\- Quick Tempered

\- Moves: Scratch, Growl, Ember

Horsea

\- Female

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Swift Swim

\- Docile Nature

\- Study Body

\- Moves: Bubble, Smokescreen

**RYUJI**

Fennekin

\- Female

\- Level 9

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Mild Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Scratch, Tail Whip, Ember


	4. Reunions and Revelations

**Welp, this chapter took a bit longer than I expected to finish, but hey, at least now I'm done. Hope you guys enjoy.**

* * *

So many thoughts raced through Eddy's head as he stared at the boy before him. He almost did not want to believe it was him, but the resemblance was far too uncanny. Standing before him was a face he'd hoped to never see again...

He looked at the group with those innocent eyes of his, and let out a smile that made it undeniable. This was Jonny, as sure as the world was round.

"Oh hey Eddy!" He said happily, "Seems like you guys finally got here!"

"Finally!?" Eddy asked, completely dumbstruck by how nonchalant Jonny could be about this. "Dude, we haven't seen you since the movie! This is where ya been?"

Jonny rolled his eyes. "There we go again with the whole 'movie' thing. Plank STILL hasn't explained that!"

"Right... well anyway, what'cha been doing out here?"

"Me? Well, I've just been travelling. There's so much cool stuff to see out here!"

The cloud of uncertainty lifted slightly, as the others came over to say hello to their old neighbor. Many questions were on the minds of our heroes, but one stood out among all else. One that Eddy was more than willing to ask when he noticed that one specific detail was missing.

"Hold up! Where's Plank?"

This silenced the chatter, as the realization overcame everyone in the group. Sure enough, Jonny was indeed not carrying around his imaginary friend. This caused some worry to well up in the Eds, as they remembered the fiasco that resulted from the last time they were separated from one another. But at the same time, Jonny did not look to be showing any adverse signs from it. So maybe that was a good sign.

Or maybe that was the calm before the storm.

"Oh yeah, you guys haven't seen him yet," Jonny finally replied, before turning back to the forest. "Come on out, buddy. It's our old pals!"

Everyone watched as a small figure seemed to float out from the ever-darkening trees. It was a small, ghostly creature, not even a foot and a half tall, staring at them with large, pale red eyes. It's wispy black body helped to draw attention to its most distinguishing feature; the Pokemon's head appeared to be a large piece of a tree, with little branches on either side of it, and a few little leaves growing upon it.

"Wait a minute, THAT is Plank!?" Double D questioned incredulously. "He turned into a Pokemon!?"

"Yep," Jonny answered, completely unfazed by this fact, "He's something called a 'Phantump'. And now he can move around much easier."

The Phantump waved at the party, all of whom watched as he slowly drifted in midair. To think that the piece of wood that Jonny had befriended was standing before them in this new form. Perhaps it was like their own change in appearance, but why would an inanimate object change into anything other than just the same inanimate object?

"So wait, does that mean that Plank was...?"

Double D dreaded saying it, as a memory of one dumb conversation they'd had made its way to the forefront of his memory. And judging by the look on Eddy's face, he remembered that interaction as well.

"Oh go on, Double D," He said, more than a little amused. "Tell everyone what that means."

Reluctantly, he answered. "If Plank has been turned into a Pokemon, then it would stand to reason that Plank... was a sentient being all along."

This caused his fellow Eds, as well as Rolf, to all laugh in triumph, as a groan escaped the likes of Nazz, Kevin, Jimmy, and Sarah. Hearing this inevitable result, Double D joined the latter chorus, knowing full well what this meant.

"You've gotta be kidding!" Sarah complained.

"Why did I agree to this? What was I thinking?" bemoaned Nazz.

"I just lost a month's allowance on that! You owe me big time, melonhead!" Kevin added in, leaving the catalyst of their discussion utterly perplexed.

"Wait, what's going on here?" he asked, looking to Plank for an answer. "Did we do something wrong?"

"Not at all, Jonny boy!" Eddy told him, rubbing his hands together with great vigor. "Ya see, we had a betting pool on whether or not Plank was real. And thanks to this, me, Ed, and Rolf are walkin' away loaded tonight!"

"Well, not tonight," Double D corrected. "Remember, gentlemen, we're on a journey, and currently we do not have our funds with us. Once we return home, however, the result will be split evenly between the three who were correct."

"Whatever works," Eddy shrugged. "I'm mostly happy I was right. That's two for two on things you didn't believe, Sockhead!"

"I said I was sorry!"

Jonny stepped forward, interrupting their train of thought, and told them "So, what have you been doing since I've been gone?"

"It's been great, man," Eddy answered, "Now that we're not at each other's throats anymore."

"Indeed," Double D added, "We'll still have our little quarrels from time to time, but overall, our group dynamic has improved exponentially. And you, Jonny?"

To this, Jonny only grinned, as he pulled out three Poke Balls from his pockets. "You wouldn't believe the kind of stuff we've pulled off," he exclaimed, "We've just went wherever we could, but we've made so many friends! Wanna see?"

In an instant, everyone was around the boy, who wasted no time throwing the balls up into the air. Out of them burst three different Pokemon, two familiar, and one unfamiliar.

The first of the two familiar monsters were a large quadruped with bluish-green skin, and a large pink bud upon its back, surrounded by four leaves. Immediately to its left was a yellow bipedal Pokemon with hints of brown and red across its body, a large, fluffy tail, a set of mustache-like whiskers on its face, and a spoon in its right hand.

And then their eyes went to the unfamiliar face, who caused Jimmy to immediately faint. And judging by the sheer size of the beetle, no one could really blame him for doing so. They could infer simply by looking at it that this Pokemon was a Bug type, and without question larger than any they'd seen thus far. The way it carried itself reminded Double D of Pinsir, but its appearance reminded him of a bipedal rhinoceros beetle.

 _'Perhaps they're counterparts,'_ he surmised, _'Much like Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan are for each other. It would make sense, given both are Pokemon based on real world beetles.'_

"Sorry about that," Jonny said in regards to the now incapacitated Jimmy, "Anyway, these are my teammates. Meet Ivysaur, Kadabra, and Heracross."

"Neat Pokemon," Ed said, "Where'd you catch them? Did you steal that Kadabra from Sabrina?"

"Never heard of her. I just caught it as an Abra, and evolved it all by myself."

"Evolved?" Sarah asked, as she managed to get Jimmy back up, and turn his attention away from the Heracross, "What the heck are you on about?"

At that, it occurred to the Eds that half of their group did not know about Pokemon evolution. They'd mentioned it briefly, but that was Ed, and he tended to overexaggerate things. But now they had a much better opportunity to explain it to them. As such, Double D wasted no time getting into it.

"Simply put, evolution is a process by which a Pokemon, through gaining the necessary experience, transforms into another phase of physical maturity," he told the others, pointing to Ivysaur and looking at it with great pride, "Take for instance this Pokemon. In it's basic state, it is known as 'Bulbasaur', thanks to the very large bulb upon its back, similar to those present on some plants. As it evolves, the bulb opens up to reveal the bud you see before you, and when it evolves again into Venusaur, the bud will finally bloom into a vibrant flower, signaling the completion of the Pokemon's physical maturity, and it's maximum potential for combat."

The retention of this info was mixed among the crew, but the general idea was something they were all able to grasp; Pokemon would grow into bigger forms as they fought more. This cleared up quite a bit, especially among those who wondered what Ryuji had meant when he said 'that stage of their evolution' earlier in the day. And across the board, everyone liked the prospect.

"Though I will be honest," Double D continued, "The concept SHOULD be called 'metamorphosis', as evolution is an ongoing process taking place over untold generation. Though I suppose they could mean more of a metaphorical evolution, signified by..."

Everyone stopped listening, knowing he'd be at this for a while. From within their ranks, Eddy looked over to Ryuji, and asked "So, should we just head back to Cherrygrove?"

"Probably a good idea. And if you want, your friend can come with us. I'll set up a room for him at the Pokemon Center."

"Oh that's okay, I'm headin' back up to Violet City," Jonny insisted. "You guys go on back to where you're staying. We'll meet up that way."

Waiting for Double D to finish his monologue, the party began to move back down south once that was done. Jonny watched, as the old crew grew smaller with the distance between them and him, and only once he was sure they were out of earshot, did he let out a breath of relief...

And let his expression change from joy to anger.

"(So, they actually made it here,)" Plank said, floating around the boy's head, "(I guess you were right in the end.)"

"I told you, buddy," Jonny said. "And now that they're here, we can get our payback."

"(Are you sure you still want to do that?)"

"They turned their back on us, and they'll pay for that one. Right, Timber?"

Plank sighed. "(You know I'm with you to the bitter end. So, what's the plan?)"

"I heard there was some big stuff going on out in Azalea Town. I think we should head there first thing in the morning."

"(And for tonight?)"

"We have an alibi, and we'll have to make another if we run into them again. But don't worry, we'll make sure that the Eds get what's coming to 'em."

* * *

The night was beautiful as the full moon shone bright on the world below. Within the Pokemon Center, our heroes remained, choosing to make use of their rooms, and spend the hours of the night within the comfort of air conditioning. And no one could deny that the rooms they were given were certainly very homey. It almost felt like they'd never left, barring the decently nice TVs, and the fact that they all had their own beds.

In Room 3, the Eds were all getting further acquainted with their teams, Eddy lazing about on his bed, watching some news with both of his 'Mons sharing a couple of potato chips with him. Double D was engrossed in his Pokedex, looking over an article while his Chikorita nuzzled up to him. And Ed was over in the corner, showing his comic books to both Totodile and Rattata, both of whom were already very invested in the plot of the one he'd decided to show.

"So, pretty good first day, eh boys?" Eddy asked, as he flipped the channel to coverage of a late-night tournament.

"(I'd say so, matey!)" chittered Krabby, "(I've only dealt with you for a couple of hours, but I like the cut of your jib!)"

"(Right back at'cha, big guy,)" Cyndaquil replied, "(From what I've seen, you'll be a very valuable asset to the team.)"

While none of the humans in the room could understand what was being said by their Pokemon, their evident joy was more than enough to keep a smile on everyone's faces.

"I must agree," Double D said, petting his Chikorita, "And we still have so much to discover. As such, I've taken it upon myself to do some more research."

"Oh yeah? What'd ya find out?"

"Well, I've done a bit of research into the first Gym Leader. His name is Hayato, and he resides in Violet City, where he specializes in Flying Type Pokemon."

"Oh, THAT kind of research?"

Double D looked back at his friend, genuinely curious what he meant by that.

"C'mon, Double D," Eddy said, "Don't you think we oughta figure that out as we go? Part of the fun was not knowing what your opponent was packin'."

"Well, luckily there is no information on what his actual team is within the database. And besides, Eddy, even if we know, that might not necessarily mean we will have an easy win. Perhaps there are Flying Types among his ranks that are stronger than we can face, or our options in regards to type advantage might be rather limited."

"Yeah, maybe. I'd still rather we wait on it, let 'em surprise us."

Double D rolled his eyes, but the smile on his face made it clear he wasn't opposed to this. "Very well, Eddy. I'll not spoil any future opponents for us. Though I must admit, I'm still curious about that Champion Red fellow that the others mentioned."

"You said he was the player character, yeah?"

"Indeed. And according to that travelling trainer, he is seen by some as unbeatable."

A glint appeared within Eddy's eyes as he heard that. "Well, then we'll just have to find him!" He declared with confidence, "And when we do, I'll take his title from him!"

The sheer resolve behind those words was enough to draw Ed and his Pokemon from the comic they'd been engrossed in. "Eddy will pull a victory against the unstoppable king of the monsters!?"

"(Oh, I'd love to see that!)" Totodile chimed in, jumping up and down at the prospect. "(Put on a show for us, Eddy!)"

"You'd better believe it, Ed! And you're gonna help me get tougher! Come on, let's watch this tourney, we can see what the pros are doin'!"

Wasting no time, Ed dropped his comic and jumped onto Eddy's bed, his two Pokemon in tow as he nearly sent Eddy's two into the ceiling. After that, all their attention was on the battle between the two trainers on screen, leaving Double D to his own devices.

"(I'm so glad they're excited,)" commented Chikorita, as she continued to nuzzle her trainer. "(Happy friends make for good travelling companions.)"

While he might not have understood exactly what his starter Pokemon was saying, her attitude was certainly helpful in keeping Double D's spirits up. As she nuzzled his arm, he noticed her leaf moving and coming up to his face, allowing him to finally notice one little detail he'd been overlooking.

"Huh... sweet," he said simply, enjoying the aroma of Chikorita's leaf, "Thank you, my friend. This certainly does help to soothe the nerves."

Chikorita cooed at the praise, as she made her way onto Double D's lap. The boy ran a hand through his locks, not used to the affection, but certainly welcoming it. Having exhausted the current article's content, he returned back to the search bar, when a thought occurred to him. There was still one thing he wanted to know, and so he searched it up, immediately intrigued by the results:

_'Red vs Blue: The Most Amazing Final Battle in Indigo League History'_

_'Champion Red Continues Undefeated Streak For 2 Years'_

_'Champion Red Vanishes After League. Elite Four Claims "He Said He Needed a Change of Scenery"'_

Each of these titles alone would have been enough to get anyone's attention, but with all three of them together, the blonde's curiosity on the subject was ultimately piqued. So much potential to see what this man could be like, and thus so much information that could be gleaned from watching these experts.

"Well, no time like the present," he mumbled. "Let's start with the video. I'm certainly curious to see the scuffle between these two when they've reached their maximum potential."

And with one click, the video began, and he got to watching.

* * *

"Rhydon! Use Earthquake!"

Rolf watched in anticipation, as two goliaths battled on the TV screen, this one much larger than what he was used to, and allowing him to see the image much more clearly. The trainer commanded a mighty Rock and Ground Type with great authority, facing another beast of a Mon known as 'Tyranitar'.

"These two battling monsters are very well-trained," Rolf noted, genuinely impressed by their combat abilities, "Rolf has not seen such masterful handling of livestock since last year's Ms. Arduous Field Worker Pageant!"

Kevin said nothing in regards to that, his focus drawn to the beasts on screen, as he used his Pokedex to search for info on them. Coming to the entries about Rhydon, he liked what he was reading.

"Up to 3600 degrees, huh?" He questioned aloud, pulling the attention of both Rolf and Nazz, the latter of whom was currently feeding her Pokemon.

"Oh, sorry," he questioned, "Just playing around on my Pokedex, since we ain't goin' anywhere. I just found the entry for that Rhydon thing, and it says it can survive in lava."

"Wow, really?" Nazz asked.

Kevin nodded, showing her the entry, before switching pages. "It's pretty tough then. I oughta see if I can catch one."

"Already trying to determine your flock, Kevin boy?"

"Well yeah, dude," Kevin replied almost immediately. "We got an endgoal in mind. A tournament of all the strongest trainers in Johto! And if I wanna win, I'm gonna need the strongest Pokemon I can find."

"Very true. A strong battling monster can bring you great successes in the competition against our opponents."

"Oh yeah! And I've been looking into the evolutions of my guys too! You wanna see what yours evolve into?"

"Do tell! Use that whatchamadoohickie to great effect!"

Nazz could only watch from the sidelines, as the two boys began to talk excitedly about their current topic. They seemed so happy to be thinking about their battles, and she just couldn't understand it.

 _'Maybe it's just a guy thing,'_ she rationalized, while Caterpie ate some pieces of Poke Food from her hand. _'Oh well, I'm glad they're having fun.'_

"Oh hey, that reminds me," Kevin turned to where Nazz was, showing her the screen of his Dex, "I found this while I was scrolling through. It look like a Pokemon you'd like?"

Taking a glance at the screen, she saw a sheep, though it was certainly unlike any other she'd heard of. Firstly, its skin was blue, counterbalancing its cream colored wool, and being contrasted by strange cones on the side of its head, colored yellow and black in a striped pattern. Its tail was similarly patterned, ending with a bright orange orb.

According to the page, the Pokemon was called 'Mareep', and looking at it enamored Nazz completely.

"That's definitely a nice looking little dude," she commented. "Does it say where to get one?"

"I think it said something about it being near Violet City. You can get one while we're all getting our Gym Badges."

"Oh... right." Nazz looked away for a second, "You guys aren't upset that I'm not gonna join you with that, right?"

"Nah, don't worry about it." Kevin answered without hesitation. "Plus, I'd be a hypocrite if I did. I wasn't too sure about battling before I got my Treecko."

"Indecisiveness leads to weak harvests," Rolf told the two of them, "When you make a decision, you must resolve to see it through."

Nazz nodded. "That makes sense. I might not wanna battle, but I guess I can try and catch every cute thing that catches my eye."

"Sounds like a plan, babe. And I can help if it's a little out of your level range."

"Aw, thanks Kev!"

Rolf turned his attention from the two as their conversation continued. He brought himself back to the screen, watching as Tyranitar slammed its fist into Rhydon, sending the latter flying backward.

 _'Kevin boy's focus is on the powerful,'_ he thought, paying attention to their battle with intense curiosity, _'And Nazz girl's focus is on that which she finds eyepleasing. But what shall Rolf's focus be?'_

Double D's words echoed in his head, remembering the discussion of his 'Geodude's' incredible defensive ability. One glance at the Rock Type put ideas into Rolf's head, as he imagined owls trying and failing to break through its shell, or raccoons being scared away by a rock thrown by those mighty arms.

Perhaps there were more beasts like that out here that he could bring into his group? More Pokemon who could be used for protection above all else.

The idea certainly sounded enticing.

 _'Rolf shall pursue the might of the ultimate defensive team,'_ he told himself, _'And while we search for the Kanker sisters, Rolf's army shall serve as the first line of defense in combat!'_

Oh yes, he liked the sound of that...

* * *

"I like the sound of that!"

Ryuji smiled at Jimmy's response, turning on the TV to a Beauty Contest for his current roommates. The younger boy was immediately enamored by the sight of a Milotic on screen, his Litten nestled in his lap as he watched the display of beauty before him.

"So, how'd you two like your first day?" He asked, reaching into his bag to pull out some snacks for his Fennekin, "You think you're gonna have fun here?"

"It was okay, I guess..." Sarah told him half-heartedly, staring intently at Rowlet.

"It was great!" Jimmy answered with a bit more vigor, revealing a brace-laden smile, "I got my teeth fixed up a bit, and I caught myself a super adorable little Horsea!"

Ryuji stood up, holding Fennekin in his hands. "And there will be plenty more. So if you guys can keep this up, you'll have a full team in no time."

"Yeah, sure I will," responded Sarah, sarcasm evident in every word.

Both of the boys looked at her, as she continued to look into Rowlet's eyes, almost as if she was expecting something. What exactly, they could not determine, but it certainly was not alone, as annoyance spread across her visage.

"Don't be mad at Rowlet, Sarah," Jimmy offered, "He did his best. And that's all you could really ask for from a friend, right?"

"I'm not mad!" she spat back, before reeling slightly at her volume, "... Okay, maybe I'm a little mad. But that's not the only thing. I just... don't understand this darn bird."

"What do you mean?"

"You saw what's been going down. Everyone else's Pokemon are all friendly with 'em, and I got this thing that just stares at me!"

The only response she got from the two boys was a shrug, which led to her giving an exasperated sigh. "I'm gonna have to catch something stronger than this thing. It's not done anything useful yet."

"Sarah, it's been in one battle," Ryuji countered, "You can't judge something based on one battle."

"Sure I can! I'm a good judge of character, I'll have you know!"

"Even the best judge of character can be wrong. You need more than one interaction to get a glean on who someone is. That's just as true for Pokemon as it is for people."

"Oh, well if you're so smart, why don't YOU raise my Pokemon!?"

Stark silence enveloped the room, no one having anything further to add to this conversation. Jimmy knew better than to argue with Sarah, and Ryuji simply didn't want a scuffle this late at night. And so, they stopped right then and there, going back to watching the Contest, and leaving Sarah to keep watching her bird with scrutiny.

"You know Ryuji, I was wondering," Jimmy began, "Everyone else tried to catch something today. Why didn't you?"

To this, the older boy shrugged. "Besides the fact that I was playing tour guide, I guess nothing really caught my attention. But maybe that's just because it was daytime Pokemon. I could always try to catch something a little later tonight."

Jimmy tensed a bit at this idea. "Y-you mean... go out into the forest? In the dark?"

"Maybe. Some Pokemon are nocturnal after all. And plus, the peace and quiet would be perfect for my concentration, y'know?"

"What, do we get on your nerves?" Sarah cut in, only to be shut down by a simple shake of Ryuji's head.

"Not in the slightest," he explained, "In fact, I've known far more annoying people. I just... it's been a while since I've had to do things while others were watching."

"Oh really?" Questioned Jimmy, "Why is that? Were you sick or something?"

"No, nothin' like that. I've just been out enjoying nature for a few months, that's all."

"Oh, like a camping trip," Jimmy declared, "I went on a few of those with the Urban Rangers. Did you have fun?"

"Hell yeah. It was real nice to be able to get away from it all..."

Hearing that elicited a curious expression from Jimmy, and a raised eyebrow from Sarah. What exactly did he mean by 'get away from it all'? Was he dealing with some rough stuff before going on this journey? Judging by the look on his face, it was entirely possible, but then again, that could just be the way he gets when he's remembering something.

But perhaps it would be better not to ask.

"Well, I think I'm going to go to bed soon," he said simply, "You guys should to. If we wanna make any headway, we're gonna have to get up early."

"That's a good idea," said Jimmy, as he got off Ryuji's bed and over to his own, "When do you want us to be up?"

"Ideally, we'll get up at 7:00 AM, get the egg to Professor Elm, then rush back here for a quick break by 8:00."

Both children took note, and while they weren't sure how quickly they would get to sleep, the idea was certainly doable. But looking at the clock, it was clear that they would have to get to bed very soon. And plus, it was getting close to their bedtime anyway, so it only made sense in that regard as well.

With nothing more to say, the three began making their preparations - specifically Ryuji alerting the others of this plan. And within the next half hour, the occupants of Room 5 were all in bed, hoping for sleep to overtake them.

* * *

Unfortunately, sleep eluded poor Jimmy for the next hour or so. Try as he might, the bed left him tossing and turning all night, and all he could think about was what came next. They'd have to keep walking, keep fighting, and keep catching, but for how long? How many days, or even weeks would they be at this? And could they even reach this 'Pokemon League' they were talking about?

All of these thoughts bombarded Jimmy for at least an hour, before he heard a sharp sliding sound; the light that creeped into their room confirmed it was their door opening.

Glancing over, Jimmy saw Ryuji in the doorway, but very different from the Ryuji he was used to. The casual air he held himself with was replaced slightly, as he stepped out with confidence, and knocked on the door next to him. A few seconds later, it was opened, and he could hear a slight exchange between their guide, and the leader of his Urban Ranger troop.

"What could girly haired Ryuji-boy want at this hour?" He could hear Rolf question.

"I was hoping to borrow your fishing pole." Ryuji answered not a second later. "A little midnight fishing sounds incredible right now. As well as a Poke Ball, if you wouldn't mind."

A few seconds later, Rolf could be heard telling him "Return it tomorrow morning. Rolf requires his rest for the journey."

"Gotcha."

The sliding door closed once again, as Ryuji came over to close their door, leaving Jimmy with a welling curiosity. Why would he choose to fish this late at night? There could be wild Pokemon out, waiting to jump him and eat him! What if something bad were to happen!?

Before he knew it, the bleach blonde had stepped out of bed, and had his shoes on to see what was going on. He stopped only for a moment or so once he realized he was opening the door. A chill ran up his spine as he realized exactly what he was about to do, but some part of him was practically yelling out for him to follow. It was a strange mix of concern and genuine intrigue that pushed him forward, one leg after the other, until he was finally outside, beneath Johto's moon.

Seeing Ryuji out of the corner of his eye, Jimmy followed behind slightly, watching as the older boy made his way up Route 30. He was careful to avoid the tall grass, both in fear of running into a Caterpie, and so as to not give away his cover.

Eventually, Ryuji stopped before a small lake, and without a single word, cast the line into the glistening blue waters. It was not long after that the bobber was pulled underneath the surface, signaling a bite.

Jimmy watched as the brunette pulled the line out of the water with a single hand, amazed to see the Pokemon that were fished up. Two blue amphibians, short and plump, with large pink lips and a slightly translucent white patch on its stomach, through which he could see a swirling pattern.

"Whoa..." Jimmy whispered, enamored by the adorable little tadpoles.

What drew his attention more, however, was what happened next. Without any hesitation, Ryuji threw his Poke Ball up in the air, releasing his Fennekin with a burst of light. The worry that had overtaken Jimmy thus far was back and stronger than ever. It didn't take a genius to figure out that those were Water Type Pokemon, and if memory served, that meant his Fire Type would be weak.

"Outnumbered and with type disadvantage? How will he win this?"

Yet much to his surprise, neither Ryuji nor Fennekin looked that afraid. In fact, Ryuji's stance got a bit stronger, his shoulders no longer as slacked as they once were, and hands clenched into fists as he stared down the two Pokemon.

A stream of water began to fly from one of their mouths, but Fennekin weaved beside the attack like it was nothing. She rushed over in response and slammed into her attacker, sending it flying. As the other attempted the same technique, Fennekin jumped over it, slamming into its back and causing it to fall forward.

Jimmy watched on in awe, amazed at this incredible agility shown by Ryuji's starter. The two Water Types continued to attempt their attacks, occasionally mixing in a move that caused their bellies to glow. But every move was for naught, as Fennekin was able to dodge them with all the grace and proper footwork he expected from a master gymnast.

Certainly a far cry from the unrefined techniques he'd seen from Eddy and Rolf earlier, and even from himself.

"This is unbelievable..." Jimmy whispered, unable to take his eyes off of the display before him, "He's got so much skill. He's making those Pokemon look like jokes. I didn't know he was that tough."

"(Why are we whispering? Also who are we talking about?)"

A chill ran up the boy's spine as he heard that vague humming noise out of the corner of his ears, as well as the skittering of many little legs. He dared not look over, for fear of what it might be. Unfortunately for him, what it might be was revealed to him, as the Pokemon crawled in front of his face.

It was a large, segmented worm-like Pokemon, mostly tan in coloration, with light red feet and a large, bulbous nose right above a set of mandibles. It had a large, conical horn on the top of its head, and stared at Jimmy with a set of big black eyes, curious about the boy in front of him.

Unfortunately, the curiosity was lost on the young trainer, who let out an ear-piercing scream for the second time since coming to Cherrygrove. And with it, every Pokemon within a mile radius had their attention on the direction it came from, as well as the only other trainer out at this dreadful hour.

Adrenaline took over, and Jimmy ran in the opposite direction. No amount of epic battling would get him to deal with that, especially not at this hour. All he wanted right now was to get back into bed, and never have to see another oversized bug again.

 _'I can't take this anymore!'_ he told himself in a panic, _'All these giant bugs! All the running! All the heat and these uncomfortable beds! I HATE THIS PLACE!'_

And all the while this was happening, the Weedle watched on, genuinely disappointed at seeing a trainer so quick to avoid a battle.

_'(Am I really that ugly?)'_

* * *

It took another hour and a half before Jimmy could even get to sleep, as the images of both Ryuji's battle and that horrid bug's visage flashed through his mind constantly. However, there was a silver lining when he did, as dreams of home and a nice cup of milk were his eventual reward.

In fact, it was almost enough to make him forget that they were in this unfamiliar land filled with giant bugs and fighting monsters.

Almost...

When the blaring of the alarm clock struck his ears at 7:00 on the dot, Jimmy got up and stretched, before being met with the sight of two Poke Balls on the dresser. No amount of attempts to wipe the sleep out of his eyes made them vanish, and he knew that everything he remembered wasn't just a very realistic dream.

"Welp, at least we're all together," Jimmy sighed, looking over to Sarah as she feel out of the bed. "But I don't know how much more of this I can take..."

"What do you mean?"

Turning back, he saw the one person he knew he could trust with his worries. Despite her rough exterior, Sarah always was willing to listen to his issues, and he certainly needed that right now.

"I'm at my wits end," he admitted, "I went outside last night, 'cuz I saw Ryuji leave the room, and I ran into another giant creepy crawly! They're everywhere! And they're mean! I could tell just by looking at it that it wanted to bite my face off!"

"Are you sure that wasn't just the panic talking?" Sarah asked.

He looked to her, dead serious, and she relented.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take! I'll have a heart attack if I have to keep dealing with giant bugs!"

Part of Jimmy's mind contemplated if he should just ask Ryuji about going home, but then another thought occurred to him: would he have to leave his Pokemon behind? He couldn't do that, could he? They were his new friends, and he'd just turn his back on them like that? That just wouldn't be right!

But then, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him from his sides, and melted into his orange-haired protector's hug.

"Don't worry about it, alright?" she said, showing to Jimmy a side of her she rarely revealed, "We've got numbers on our side. And besides, if any bugs try to hurt you, I'll kick their buggy butts myself."

To this, Jimmy couldn't help but smile. She always seemed to know what to say to him. And plus, she was right. Maybe he was just overthinking things, especially considering how awesome he knew their guide to be now.

Speaking of which...

"Didn't Ryuji say we have to leave about now?" he asked, grabbing his Poke Balls. "What do you think we'll run into today?"

"Heck if I know," she responded, "I just want to have a better day than we did yesterday."

"We will, Sarah. I'm sure you'll catch something this time around."

"Thanks, Jimmy. I'm hoping I find something super cute this time around."

"Let's see to it!"

With their mood brought up to the ceilings, both children left the room immediately, and headed down to the first floor. Everyone else was already down there, surrounding the roommate of the two youngest members, as he showed off his newest Pokemon.

"Dang, Poliwag this early, on top of the Krabby and Horsea?" Eddy asked, "This region is freakin' sweet!"

"Yeah," Ryuji told him, "I found it out last night while I couldn't sleep."

"Choice," Kevin commented, "I was wondering when you were gonna catch something."

"Yeah, I decided to wait on it. But hey, now I have a new Pokemon, and now I have to figure out which evolution to get."

Double D was practically salivating at the sound of that. "'Which evolution'? You mean to say the Poliwag line has more than just Poliwrath as a final evolution?"

"Yep, once it reaches Poliwhirl, I can evolve it into either Poliwrath or Politoed. See, if I can get my hands on this thing called a King's Rock..."

It was at this point Jimmy tuned out the two, focusing on the tadpole Pokemon before him. Now he knew the name - Poliwag, as it were - and that definitely made him want to know more. And so, he pulled out his Pokedex, getting this entry:

_'Poliwag, the Tadpole Pokemon_

_Water Type_

_For Poliwag, swimming is easier than walking. The swirl pattern on its belly is actually part of the Pokémon's innards showing through the skin.'_

"Wow, it's so cute," he said, "How did you catch it, Ryuji?"

"Oh, it was a tough fight," Ryuji told them, "Especially considering there were two of them. For some reason, that fishing rod of Rolf's seems to like to fish up two things at once."

"Ah, the enchantment still works after all these years." Rolf said with a triumphant grin.

Silence reigned supreme for a bit, as everyone had their eyes on Rolf.

"I can never tell if he's serious or not," Eddy finally chimed in, "He says everything with the same tone!"

"You know how Rolf said he comes from a long line of village buffoons?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, one of those village buffoons married a witch, and that witch had her brother carve a fishing pole, which she enchanted to always gain double the bounty."

"Huh... yeah, that checks out."

"Really?" Ryuji asked in awe, "How is everyone so nonchalant about that?"

"Again, magic boomerangs and cursed telephones." Eddy replied immediately, "You get used to it."

"I guess I'll have to, then... oh by the way, Rolf!"

As the blue-haired boy looked up, a Poke Ball was thrown into his hands.

"Consider it payment for letting me use your fishing pole," Ryuji explained, "It's the other Poliwag I fought. I caught it with one of your Poke Balls, so it's already got you listed as the OT."

"Oatee?" Rolf questioned. "Rolf would believe he is more of an Oater."

A hearty laugh escaped Ryuji's lips, starting to see what the others meant. "No no, Rolf, 'OT'. It means 'Original Trainer'. Basically, it's a fancy way of saying it's your Pokemon, as opposed to it being my Pokemon, and I just left it under your care."

"Ah. Excellent. Another new ally, perhaps to help should the enraged lobsters ever return!"

"Sounds great! Now let's get goin', Professor Elm's waiting for us!"

And with nothing more to say, everyone went up to their rooms to gather their things. It was early in the day, and they could make up plenty of ground if they were to get back with the egg soon. So there was no wasting time...

Or at least their wouldn't be, until a near unanimous chorus of rumbling reminded everyone that it was time for breakfast.

* * *

Going back through Route 29 was far easier than the first time around, even with the 30-minute distraction of breakfast. What had previously taken them an hour and a half to trek through was now nothing more than a brisk 30 minute walk, allowing them to be back in New Bark Town by 8:00.

Double D had decided to be the one to deliver the egg, allowing the others to focus on whatever it was they wanted to do. Eddy and Rolf had already split off from the group at this point, wanting to scour Route 46 for some Pokemon, and the rest of the group all waited outside.

Once Double D stepped into his office, Elm was overjoyed to see the egg within its case. He took it and placed it on the table, before turning back to the young brainiac.

"Words cannot express how much I appreciate this," Elm told him, "This egg is supposedly a rare breed, rather uncommon in the Johto Region, according to Mr. Pokemon."

"Wonderful," Double D declared, rubbing his hands in sheer delight, "I'm very curious what creature it could be. I do hope you'd be willing to give me a call once the egg has hatched."

"Good idea!" The Professor turned his back to Double D for a second, "Allow me to get my number right here, and I'll give you a call on your Pokedex once everything is in order."

"The Pokedex can make calls?"

"At least my model can. I modified them from a set of PokeGears. Anyway, the point is you can call me at this number..."

Elm handed Double D a piece of paper, which the blonde was quick to place in his Pokedex call log.

"And I'll be sure to give you any info I can on the wellbeing of the egg. In addition, if you can do another favor..."

Double D did not hesitate. "Name it."

"If you run into Gold, then could you tell him to give me a call? He left three days ago without even saying goodbye to me or his mother."

Hearing that caused Double D's blood to boil; he'd made sure to leave a note for his parents' peace of mind, and this 'Gold' fellow would just run off without so much as a 'goodbye'?

"How rude!" he declared with disdain, "Why would he do such a thing?"

"It's mostly just how he moves through the world. That boy can never sit still."

"I see... very well. What does this 'Gold' gentleman look like?"

"Black hair, golden eyes — hence the nickname, red hoodie and commonly wears a hat backwards."

A nod was shared, and Double D finished putting the number into his call list, of course under the name 'Professor Elm'. With that in mind, the teenager stepped out of the office, taking in the details ahead of him.

Apparently, they weren't far behind another trainer who they would perhaps run into. And according to the good professor, his pseudonym was a result of his eye color.

 _'Good to know,'_ he mused. _'Perhaps that also could be the reasoning behind the nickname of that 'Red' fellow. I'll have to find a much clearer image. None of the ones in the article had his eyes showing, and the video was much more focused on the Pokemon than the trainers.'_

The door was opened up to a battle between Kevin and Ed, currently between Spinarak and Rattata. A battle that was stopped dead in its tracks as their teammate finally joined up once again.

"So? What'd you find out?" Kevin asked.

"We're not far behind an overly energetic trainer known as 'Gold'," Double D explained, "Professor Elm has specifically requested we give him a message should we run into him. Which is a distinct possibility, given that he left only a day before us."

"Sounds good," Ryuji joined in, "We just have to wait for Eddy and Rolf to get back with us."

"Well, don't get comfy, boys."

Everyone turned their gaze over to the entrance of the town, where both Eddy and Rolf were standing proud. On the left shoulder of Eddy, there was a small bird with a short hooked beak, and plumage colored in red, beige, black, and brown. On the right shoulder of Rolf, was a large, brown, and fluffy bird of prey, appearing to stand on only a single leg, with big red eyes surrounded by black markings that extended out to look like a pair of horns.

"Fruitful time, I see," commented Ryuji, "Interesting choice to try and raise a Spearow. You prefer that over Pidgey?"

"Yeah, Pidgey sucks," Eddy answered immediately. "Spearow on the other hand was pretty okay. At least until I got my Dodrio."

"Good to see you using your past experience as a base, Eddy," Double D told him. "And now you possess half a potential team, should you decide to go long-term with them."

"Oh I think I might, I like these guys."

"Glad to hear it," Ryuji grinned. "As for Rolf... when the hell did you get Hoothoot? I thought those things only come out at night."

"Most owls do," Rolf told him, "However, Rolf caught this one at night, a few minutes after you left to fish."

"Well why didn't you show us, dude?" Nazz asked.

"Rolf did not want to, how you say, 'steal Ryuji's lightning'."

"Thunder, Rolf. Steal my thunder."

"How can I steal thunder? It is but a sound!"

"So? You can't steal lightning either, it's way too quick to catch."

Rolf shrugged. "Agree to disagree. Now shall we get back on the road?"

A collective nod was the only response from the party, and so Ryuji took the helm once again, leading the party back toward the route they'd been on. Their duty here in New Bark Town was completely finished, and now it was time to return to Cherrygrove City.

* * *

By 8:35, they'd made their way back to Route 30, and were back on track to head toward Violet City, and by extension, the first Gym on their journey. Their steps through the tall grass were light, with everyone understanding at this point how they could not simply stomp around through the wild Pokemon's territory.

"So then, we're going to be heading up to Route 31," their guide explained happily. "While we're out that direction, keep your eyes peeled for trainers to battle."

"Dude, you think there are gonna be trainers out this early in the morning?" Kevin asked.

"You'd be surprised. There are some trainers who will go out before dawn if they think it's a good chance to battle."

"First rule of being a trainer: It takes passion."

"I don't like passions," Ed jumped in. "They taste funny."

"Hilarious, Ed. But for real, if you plan on being a competitive trainer, you've gotta be dedicated. I cannot tell you how many tales I've heard of trainers going for the gym challenge, and giving up after one or two badges. They weren't ready for the journey, for all the battles, for being so far away from home in the cold unforgiving forests."

A twinge of uncertainty ran through some of the group at this declaration. Did they have enough dedication to do that? They'd only come here for the Kankers initially, they weren't entirely planning on going on a life-changing journey.

But then again, maybe a life changing journey would do them good? It was worth a shot, or at least that's what a select few rationalized. After all, their last life-changing journey resulted in a built bridge, so maybe this could have a similarly positive effect?

"Well, that won't be us!" Eddy finally piped up. "We'll make it to the end!"

"I'm with Dorky on this one," Kevin added. "Ain't nothin' gonna stop me from winning that league!"

"Glad to hear it. Now, before we continue, does anyone want to catch anything else?"

Members of the party began to scan their surroundings, trying to find whatever beasts caught their eyes. The sights were already becoming familiar - the likes of Rattata, Pidgey, and the occasional Caterpie - and right now, it seemed that everyone was content with their catches.

Everyone except Jimmy, who noticed some rustling in the distance, and was curious about this unseen creature. He approached it with the utmost care, not wanting to startle it away, as he wondered if it was just more of the same, or something they hadn't been introduced to yet.

And once he was within range, he got his answer, which resulted in another massive scream. Looking up from the grass in his general direction was the same horrid creature that had been aiming its horn at him the night before!

"Creepy crawly!" he exclaimed. "Get it away from me! Get it away!"

"Calm yourself, Jimmy," Double D called out. "It's just a Weedle. An early game Bug Type, not very different from Nazz' Caterpie."

"It's a giant bug! That's my worst nightmare! ... Well, that and a closet full of burlap sacks, but still!"

"(Aw come on,)" the Weedle tried to reason with him, but unfortunately was not understood; all Jimmy heard was a strange chittering sound that made his skin crawl.

"Please, don't hurt me!" he begged. "I'm too young to be impaled!"

"(Impaled...? Why would I impale you!?)" Weedle asked incredulously, before lowering his head in defeat. "(I just wanted to be caught, like my buddy Caterpie was.)"

No one else said anything, only watching how their friend made his way through this one. Currently he was looking away as if this Weedle was the most horrifying thing he'd ever seen, and Weedle was simply disappointed, actually managing to make some among them a bit annoyed at their friend's reaction.

And among them, one had just enough of a temper to speak his mind.

"Come on, Fluffy!" barked Kevin, who was tapping his foot against the ground in sheer impatience. "Man up, will ya!? That damn bug ain't gonna hurt you, so just stop being such a drama queen!"

"But Kevi-"

"No buts! Look it in the eyes and see for yourself!"

Reluctantly, Jimmy turned his head, to see exactly what Kevin was getting at. It took him ten seconds for Weedle to return back into his field of vision, and every fibre of his being was telling him to turn away. But of course, fear of Kevin was far bigger than fear of bugs, and let him get a glance of exactly what the older boy meant.

Weedle didn't look like it wanted to hurt him.

In fact, it almost looked upset...

And while his heart was still beating a mile a minute, a twinge of guilt ran through him. Did this Pokemon really not want to hurt him? Was it just curious about him?

"Okay, maybe... maybe it doesn't want to hurt me," he finally admitted, causing the Weedle to perk up, much to Jimmy's chagrin. "You're uh... what DO you want?"

As if as an answer, Weedle crawled closer. It took every bit of Jimmy's willpower not to run away, but it was somewhat worth it, as he saw Weedle point its horn at the Poke Ball. This made it abundantly clear - this thing wanted to be caught, and had apparently chosen him to be the one to do it.

"U-uh... I... are you sure? D-don't you think you'd be happier with someone else?"

Weedle shook its head, and Jimmy let out a heavy sigh in response. There was no getting out of this, was there? Probably not, and he didn't know how to feel about it.

 _'I should be happy,'_ he desperately tried to convince himself, _'Its a new Pokemon. But it's also a creepy crawly. But it's not trying to hurt me. But it could. But... but...'_

Before he knew it, Jimmy had pulled out a Poke Ball. Weedle approached it, looking it over with curiosity. A push of the button later, and the red light enveloped the Bug Type, bringing it within the ball, and causing it to shake within its trainer's hand.

It shook once...

Twice...

Thrice...

And with a resounding *DING!* the capture was complete, and Jimmy was now the owner of a Weedle. Everyone raced forward, some giving the child a pat on the back for pulling that one off, and others telling him he did great facing his fear like that. All these compliments were lost, however, as a million thoughts raced through his mind at this revelation. Why did he do this? Why didn't he just run? Was he losing it?

But above all else, some part of him was wondering something else, and much to his surprise, that came to the forefront in the end:

"So, what does a 'Weedle' do exactly?"

"Well, it's a Bug/Poison Type," Ryuji explained, "And they evolve really quickly. Yours oughta be in its final form by about Level 10."

"Oh... joy," he declared, trying to keep his fear at what that could mean to a minimum. "So, uh, should we just get a move on then?"

"Sounds good to me. Any objections?"

A collective shake of the head was their response, and with that, they began to push toward Route 31. Jimmy remained at the back of the pack, staring at his new Pokemon's ball in hand. To think that he'd just captured perhaps the biggest bug he'd ever seen... well, besides that weird beetle that Jonny possessed. Before yesterday, even thinking of bugs this big would have rendered him unable to leave the house for a week, and now one had joined him for a journey?

Already, it seemed being here was changing him, since he didn't completely freeze up on sight. And that fact scared him, yet also made him want to smile like never before.

After all, change is good... right?

* * *

**PARTY DATA:**

**EDDY**

Cyndaquil

\- Male

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Quiet Nature

\- Alert to Sounds

\- Moves: Tackle, Leer, Smokescreen

Krabby

\- Male

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Hyper Cutter

\- Jolly Nature

\- Likes to Fight

\- Moves: Vise Grip, Bubble, Mud Sport

Spearow

\- Female

\- Level 3

\- Ability: Keen Eye

\- Impish Nature

\- Scatters Things Often

\- Moves: Growl, Peck

**ED**

Totodile

\- Male

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Torrent

\- Jolly Nature

\- Somewhat of a Clown

\- Moves: Scratch, Leer, Water Gun, Rage

Rattata

\- Male

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Guts

\- Adamant Nature

\- A Little Quick Tempered

\- Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Quick Attack, Focus Energy

**DOUBLE D**

Chikorita

\- Female

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Gentle Nature

\- Good Endurance

\- Moves: Tackle, Growl, Razor Leaf

Pidgey

\- Male

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Keen Eye

\- Sassy Nature

\- Scatters things Often

\- Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack

**KEVIN**

Treecko

\- Male

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Lax Nature

\- Thoroughly Cunning

\- Moves: Pound, Leer, Absorb

Spinarak

\- Female

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Insomnia

\- Naïve Nature

\- Alert to Sounds

\- Moves: Constrict, Poison Sting, String Shot, Absorb

**ROLF**

Chimchar

\- Female

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Naughty Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Scratch, Leer, Ember

Geodude

\- Male

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Sturdy

\- Careful Nature

\- Loves to Eat

\- Moves: Tackle, Defense Curl, Mud Sport, Rock Polish

Poliwag

\- Male

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Water Absorb

\- Brave Nature

\- Good Endurance

\- Moves: Water Sport, Water Gun, Hypnosis

Hoothoot

\- Female

\- Level 3

\- Ability: Keen Eye

\- Gentle Nature

\- Often lost in Thought

\- Moves: Foresight, Growl, Tackle

**NAZZ**

Popplio

\- Female

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Torrent

\- Calm Nature

\- Often Lost in Thought

\- Moves: Pound, Growl, Water Gun

Sentret

\- Male

\- Level 2

\- Ability: Run Away

\- Bashful Nature

\- Likes to Fight

\- Moves: Scratch, Foresight

Caterpie

\- Female

\- Level 4

\- Ability: Shield Dust

\- Calm Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Tackle, String Shot

**SARAH**

Rowlet

\- Male

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Brave Nature

\- Likes to Relax

\- Moves: Tackle, Growl, Leafage

**JIMMY**

Litten

\- Male

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Hardy Nature

\- Quick Tempered

\- Moves: Scratch, Growl, Ember

Horsea

\- Female

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Swift Swim

\- Docile Nature

\- Study Body

\- Moves: Bubble, Smokescreen

Weedle

\- Male

\- Level 3

\- Ability: Shield Dust

\- Lonely Nature

\- Likes to Fight

\- Moves: Poison Sting, String Shot

**RYUJI**

Fennekin

\- Female

\- Level 11

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Mild Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Scratch, Tail Whip, Ember, Howl

Poliwag

\- Female

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Water Absorb

\- Docile Nature

\- Sturdy Body

\- Moves: Water Sport, Water Gun, Hypnosis


	5. Sprouting Ideas

**Okay, so I'm back, after a long and arduous month and a half, and am offering my best showings here. Let it be known that my new years resolution is to actually get chapters out at a more consistent rate. Because frankly, I need something to keep from getting lost in the monotony, and I like doing this shit.**

**But I've rambled on long enough. Enjoy.**

* * *

he grind up through Route 30 up to Route 31 was certainly an interesting experience for the party, as it was their first taste of trainer battles outside of each other. It all started with a boy named Goro, who'd been quick to challenge someone from their party.

Kevin made good use of that match, allowing the others to continue forward, only to be challenged immediately by another youngster opening with a Pidgey, which was promptly taken down by Rolf's Geodude.

While the surrounding area was lacking in interesting captures, this was somewhat fine with most of the group, who had already been subjected to enough battles with these same beasts. It wasn't until they actually got up to the interconnecting Route 31 that things got interesting, when a horde of wild Bellsprout jumped several party members, forcing a halt in their progress.

But while the others wasted their time with those, two or three went ahead, and began to experience what the new area had to offer.

"Alright, Spearow! Peck!"

Among those was Eddy, taking the opportunity to rack up some much needed experience on his new bird Pokemon. A young bug catcher named Kōichi was his opponent, and he had numbers on his side, to be sure.

The bird Pokemon landed another beak strike against the third Caterpie in a row, having dealt enough damage to the larva to knock it out. Kōichi looked on in annoyance, which only gave Eddy all the more satisfaction.

"Anything else, little man?" he called out. "I'd like to reach Level 5 already."

"Pretty big talk," Kōichi countered, "But the fight ain't over yet! Go Weedle!"

Out of the fourth Poke Ball came another familiar face, which somewhat bummed Eddy out. Did this region really not have that much new to offer?

"What? Nothing unique?"

The kid tilted his head. "Uh... no? Is that a bad thing?"

"Well-... ya know what, nevermind. Spearow, you know what to do!"

The bird nodded, as she looked at the new face before her. "(I hope you'll put up more of a fight than the others,)" she joked. "(The three before you were barely morsels.)"

"(I wouldn't try to eat me,)" Weedle warned. "(I'm quite poisonous.)"

"(Figuratively,)" she declared. "(I was hoping you'd be more fun to mess with.)"

"(I'm not here to banter. I'm here to battle.)"

With its intent made clear, Spearow decided that her trainer was right. She did know what to do, and as such, turned her beak toward the new opponent. One simple peck to its soft body nearly knocked the Weedle down. But unfortunately, it withstood her attack just enough to stand back up, defiance clear on it's visage.

"Weedle, use Poison Sting."

Rushing in, the larval hornet jabbed Eddy's bird with it's conical horn. It did not deal severe damage in any way, but the act caused Spearow to jump back. She waited patiently for the next command to be issued, until a sudden stinging pain came from her wound, leaving her feeling... drained.

Eddy watched from the sidelines, as Spearow's breathing became a bit more ragged. It didn't take a genius to realize what just happened. And apparently Kōichi had figured it out too, given the grin he had.

"Sweet, your Spearow got poisoned! There's still hope!"

"Dream on, kid!" Eddy countered. "A little poison ain't gonna slow us down, right Spearow?"

The Flying Type nodded, and looked to Weedle with nothing more than amusement. "(Not bad,)" she taunted through the pain, "(But not good enough, meal.)"

Eddy made the call once more, ordering Spearow to once again use Peck. This time, however, she decided to make it interesting, as she saw Weedle trying to back itself up. Flapping her wings to get a bit of air, she rushed over, and slammed into the Bug Type's side, not dealing damage, but knocking it over.

Kōichi was distraught by this development, and could only watch as Eddy's Pokemon jabbed its hooked beak into Weedle's soft underbelly. Not a killing blow, but certainly painful for the little guy, and more than enough to end the fight right then and there.

"Weedle, return!" Kōichi called, bringing his final team member into its Poke Ball. "You did all ya could, guys. I guess we were just outmatched, huh?"

"You got that right, Ko... whatever your name was." Eddy told him, as he was handed the prize money, looking at the few coins in his hands like he had just won the lottery.

"Kōichi, by the way. Your name sounds like a Unovan name, so I take it you're a tourist here?"

"Somethin' like that."

"Well, you were one tough opponent," Kōichi told him, breaking his focus. "I'd love to fight you again one of these days before you head back."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah! Here, lemme give you my Pokegear number?"

Eddy was confused. "Pokegear? The heck is that?"

"You don't know what a Pokegear is!?" Kōichi asked incredulously. "They're so useful! You can use 'em as a phone, as a radio, as a map! They're great!"

"I mean, my Pokedex can do all that. Will that work?"

"Yes, yes it will."

And with that decided, Eddy quickly pulled out his Pokedex, and the two boys exchanged numbers. Kōichi made a promise to give him a call for a rematch some time soon, and they both walked away, Eddy back to his group, and Kōichi in the opposite direction.

Once he'd returned, he was greeted by the sight of Ryuji and Ed, both holding a Bellsprout in their hands, while others scanned the plant Pokemon with their dexes. And while it might have been good to see this classic Grass Type, something about it made that nagging feeling return with a vengeance.

"Are we gonna start seeing more new stuff any time soon?" Eddy asked without thinking, grabbing the attention of his fellow Eds and Ryuji.

"Something got you upset?" Ryuji questioned.

"Don't get me wrong, this is still freaking cool and all, but when I hear 'new region', I'm hoping to see new stuff. So far this has pretty much all been Kanto 'Mons."

"Yeah, no duh." countered Ryuji, running a hand through his shaggy hair, "In case you've forgotten, we're right next door to Kanto. So close in fact that the two regions share their Pokemon League."

Embarrassment was not an emotion Eddy felt often, but this time, he definitely couldn't help but look away. But not before responding with a quick and snappy "Shut up!"

Double D suppressed a chuckle at this predictable reaction. "You'll have to forgive Eddy. He gets bored rather easily, even in the face of the awe-inspiring."

"Oh, like YOU don't wanna see a bunch of new Pokemon?"

This caused Ryuji to roll his eyes. "Well either way, we've only seen three nearby routes. We'll see things like Hoppip and Mareep before ya know it."

"You know, for someone who's a new trainer, you sure do know a lot of things," Eddy told him offhandedly.

"I uh, did some research before coming out here. Now c'mon, Violet City's not too far off."

* * *

Their steps were light on the cobblestone path as the village's old-fashioned architecture jumped out. A strange mix of ancient and modern graced their eyes, as everyone took in minor details every which way. From the glistening blue lake before the tower up north, to the kids outside watching the birds fly overhead, Violet City was as alive as it could get.

"Oh, I'm speechless!" Exclaimed Double D. "Utterly speechless. This city is even more wondrous than the last. A marvel of traditional Japanese architecture, mixing aspects of our current era in perfe-"

"I thought you said you were SPEECHLESS," Eddy chimed in, taking a step forward. "But you're right, even the Pokemon Center looks samurai as hell."

"Welcome to Violet City folks," Ryuji told them. "Home of the Sprout Tower and all that good stuff. Our first gym is here, and there should be a route down south for us to catch stuff while we're waiting. I'm gonna go into the Pokemon Center if you guys wanna join me."

"Oh yes!" Ed exclaimed. "Breathe power back into my mighty Bellsprout!"

"Bellsprout, you say?"

Ed turned around to see a young boy, about the age of the group's previous opponents. His hair was deep black and swept to the side, and his face was framed by a pair of glasses.

"Hi there!" Ed said happily. "Are you a Pokemon Trainer too?"

"Moreso a collector," the boy explained. "My name is Konta, and I've been wanting a Bellsprout. Would you like to trade for my Onix?"

The ginger haired boy's eyes lit up at the mention of Onix. "Yes, please! I can be like Brock, and use it as a staircase!"

"... Innovative." Konta pulled out a Poke Ball. "Well, let's get this underway, shall we?"

Ed nodded, pulling out his Poke Ball. Konta started the two off, chucking his Poke Ball into the air to reveal a creature of unparalleled size, with a shape analogous to a chain of boulders. The only thing distinguishing it as a Pokemon was its large head, possessing a large spine at the top of it, and a pair of beady black eyes, almost like those of a snake.

"Ooh! So cool!" Ed squealed at the sight of the Rock Type. "Okay, here's my trade!"

He threw his own Poke Ball into the air, revealing the small, pitcher plant-esque Pokemon, held off the ground by its spindly body.

"So, this is Rocky, my Onix." Konta explained, as he handed the Poke Ball to Ed. "And from now on, he's yours."

"Okay! And my Bellsprout is now yours!"

Both trainers seemed happy with the exchange, but from the sidelines, Rocky the Onix protested.

"(Really? You're going to give me to this guy!? He looks like he's as dumb as your Slowpoke!)"

"Take good care of Rocky, okay?"

"You bet your sweet bippy I will."

Ed looked up to the new Rock Type on his team, and his grin continued to get bigger. In all honesty, it was starting to soften up Rocky to see the boy was so excited to have him on the team.

"(Well uh, nice to meet you,)" Rocky said, sounding like a bellowing grunt to everyone else. "(I-)"

Before he could finish saying what he wanted to say, Rocky felt a pair of arms wrap as far as they could around one of the boulders that made up his body, and pick him up off the ground. Looking down, he saw Ed hugging him with all his might, and practically swinging him around. The others could see people running away, and this forced both Eddy and Double D into action.

"Ed, stop it!" Double D yelled out, "You're going to get us in trouble!"

These words didn't seem to get through to him, as he continued to hug his new Onix with intense vigor.

"Ed, if you don't stop, I'M TELLING MOM!"

Ed was stopped dead in his tracks as he heard Sarah yell from back with the group. Rocky fell out of his grip as he rushed over and got on his knees in front of his sister.

"Please Sarah!" he practically begged. "Don't tell mom! If you tell mom, then mom will tell dad, and dad will just complain about politics!"

Sarah rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide her grin. Even after all these years, that still worked on her brother.

"Don't worry," she told him. "You've stopped, so no need to tell mom. But don't do it again!"

Ed nodded, and went back to his friends, but not before returning Rocky to his Poke Ball. It was at this moment that Ryuji returned, Poke Balls on the side of his belt.

"So, what'd I miss?"

"Ed has gained the mighty snake of power stones!"

"Snake of...- Oh, I assume you mean Onix?"

"Oh yeah, and he won't shut up about it," Eddy grumbled.

"Eddy, be nice," said Double D. "You know Brock was always his favorite character behind Ash."

"Brock?" Ryuji asked.

"Another character from the games, who was the Pewter City Gym Leader, with an Onix as his ace. Does he have an equivalent here?"

"I'd assume. That lines up pretty well with Takeshi."

Double D took out his notepad at this, scribbling down another note; 'Characters we know from the show possess Japanese names here, as opposed to the English names we are used to.'

And once he was done, he put the pad away in his hat once again, and entered the Pokemon Center. His team had taken a beating, and they'd need to be in top strength if he wanted to take on the Gym.

Especially given that right now he wasn't exactly sure about the battle if this was a Flying Type Gym...

* * *

There was one fortunate part and two unfortunate parts for Double D within the next 30 minutes.

Fortunately, the Gym was nearby, so he got his answer.

Unfortunately, his research was up to date. The Violet Gym was a Flying Type Gym.

Doubly unfortunate was that they were told the Gym Leader was out at the moment. Something about a conflict in the immediate area that needed resolving. As such, they were told they'd either have to wait there or come back later.

Considering their group's composition, it was pretty obvious that they chose the latter. But what their resident genius had not been expecting was that anyone in the group was going to end up in front of the Sprout Tower. And yet here they were, standing before the lovely pagoda before them, at the request of their guide.

"Okay, so here's the thing," Ryuji told them. "I'm not gonna force any of you to come up here with me. If you wanna join me, speak now or forever hold your peace."

"I'm in!" Kevin declared before anyone else, shocking the likes of Eddy, Nazz, and especially Double D himself.

"Why Kevin, I hadn't been expecting that," commented Double D. "Do you have a fascination with traditional Japanese architecture?"

"As if," he responded immediately. "But there might be some trainers inside, so I'm hoping to get a good battle in."

"Well alright, anyone else?"

Double D stepped forward without a word, and Ryuji was left scanning the rest of the party. He could see the disinterest on a couple of their faces, as well as Eddy and Ed already booking it in the opposite direction. This elicited a shrug, as he surmised the group's answers from that.

"Alright you two, let's go. I'm sure the monks will give you a good workout."

And with that, the three of them entered into the building, and were immediately greeted with a somewhat decrepit interior, lined with statues of the Pokemon Bellsprout.

"Pretty choice place," Kevin commented, "Wonder what it was for."

"What it IS for."

Kevin looked forward to see who had corrected him, and was greeted by the sight of a man in traditional robes, with a shaved head and a set of prayer beads around his neck.

"This tower is a sacred place, where we practice battle in hopes of further understanding our Pokemon," he explained. "If you should be so inclined, you may even challenge our Elder to test the bonds formed with your own Pokemon already."

"Sounds awesome," Kevin told him. "Where is this Elder dude?"

"You shall meet him in the highest room of this tower," the monk answered, "But you will face many opponents on the way there. If you seek a challenge, then climb this ladder and begin."

And with that explained, Kevin wasted no time climbing up said ladder, and judging from the pitter patter heard on the ceiling, going over to an opponent on that second floor.

"So, looks like he's eager," commented Ryuji, as he stepped near the ladder himself. "You wanna follow him and see where this goes?"

Double D did not respond, and simply stood there for a moment, staring at Ryuji.

"Uh... Double D?"

Hearing his name helped to pull the brainiac away from his thoughts, as he responded quickly, with a simple "Oh yes. Sorry."

"Are you okay, man? I didn't think you were the kind to freeze up."

"Oh, it's nothing, don't worry."

"If you say so..."

With nothing left to say, Double D approached the latter and waited for Ryuji to finish climbing it. Once Double D was alone, he pulled out his Pokedex. He wanted to be prepared for if they were to run into Pokemon, but there was a second reason as well. An unanswered question that he desired some closure to.

And what better time than while the others were battling?

* * *

Eddy and Ed got back within twenty-five minutes of their little excursion, and were met by the other members of the group sitting around by the pond. Rolf and Jimmy were talking, while Nazz and Sarah both dipped their feet into the waters.

"Well, we searched high and low, but he ain't nowhere to be found," Eddy told the others, "He must have already gotten the badge and booked it to get the next one."

"Who the heck are you talking about?" Sarah asked.

"Jonny! Don't ya remember? He said we'd all meet up here, but he's nowhere to be found!"

"So? You're worried about Jonny of all people?"

"Of course! I don't trust him!"

Things were silent for a couple of seconds, before Sarah burst out laughing. This caused others in the group to begin giggling, and Ed to break out into his own full blown laughing fit. Though Eddy at least took solace in knowing that last one was Ed just being Ed.

"Come on! You're scared of the melon dweeb? That's the lamest thing I've ever heard."

"Oh, can it, shrimp."

"Yeah, you got bigger things to worry about..."

Eddy tensed upon hearing that all-too-familiar voice, sending a chill so far up his spine he was worried he'd get a brain freeze. Hearing that line in that sickly sweet tone confirmed his worst fear had been realized. He didn't even need to turn around, because he knew who it was without question.

"Beat it, Kanker!" exclaimed Eddy, pulling out one of his Poke Balls. "We don't want you here!"

"Aw, how rude." Lee taunted, clearly not hurt by his words. "Is that any way to talk to your girlfriend?"

"And look, he even brought us the other chumps," Marie added in. "Now we can get our revenge, girls. All we need is for you to tell us where that red-eyed jerk is."

"Not on your life!" Eddy retaliated. "We've gotten some Pokemon of our own, and you ain't gonna get the jump on us twice!"

Taking that as a challenge, the three girls threw their Poke Balls into the air in unison. Eddy had been expecting to see the same Pokemon from before, the bug, the seed, and the iron thing. But unfortunately, those hopes were dashed as he was greeted by two he did not recognize, and one that seemed familiar, yet completely alien at the same time.

From Lee's Poke Ball came a small arachnid Pokemon, black and yellowish green in color, standing on three legs like a tripod, while the other three were propped up, presumably to hold the bubble of water surrounding the creature's head.

From Marie's Poke Ball came a black and red reptilian Pokemon, skittering around on all fours, and staring Eddy down with its beady purple eyes. The lizard stood up for a moment, and let out a hiss in an attempt to intimidate.

And from May's Poke Ball came for a slimy creature, which Eddy could immediately distinguish from the three. It had to be a Grimer, but it was unlike any Grimer he had ever seen. It was green, with a yellow bottom lip, and... teeth?

"What the heck happened to that Grimer!?" he asked, pulling out his Pokedex. "What have ya been feeding that thing? It looks like a piece of modern art!"

"We didn't make it like that, it came that way." Lee told him confidently. "The guy we took it from said it was from some dump called 'Aloha' or somethin'."

"Well if it's anything like the Grimer I'm used to, then this ain't good... But I sure as heck ain't gonna let you hurt my bud! Go Krabby!"

The Water Type entered the field, before seeing two more bursts of light right beside him. To his left, he saw Rowlet, and to his right, Horsea.

"You two joining this fight?" Eddy asked as both Sarah and Jimmy approached, their Poke Balls raised just the same as him.

"Three against one ain't a fair fight," Sarah said. "And plus, I need my Rowlet to get stronger anyway."

"And what about you, fluffy? Think you can handle that big a bug?"

Jimmy looked forward to see the strange spider-esque creature, and shuddered. But nevertheless he stood right next to Eddy. An act which sent a twinge of pride through the older boy.

"I... I'll fight," he said, voice shaky, yet dripping with conviction. "If bugs this big are everywhere, then I have to start getting used to them. Otherwise I'm never gonna be able to leave my room again!"

"Aw, well ain't that cute," Lee continued to taunt away. "Little Dutch is trying to act like he's a big man. We'll take him down first, girls."

Both May and Marie nodded, and the battle commenced. Eddy was about to make the first move, but was cut short when Sarah called for her Rowlet to Tackle the spider thing. Eddy watched as her Pokemon rushed in to pierce its defenses with his beak.

But, as he expected, he heard Marie call for her Pokemon to use Ember.

"(Eat this, you stupid bird!)" the lizard hissed, sending a stream of little sparks in the direction of Rowlet.

"Ah crap! Krabby, get in the way!"

On command, the crustacean scuttled over as quickly as it could, trying to intercept the attack. Unfortunately, he couldn't move fast enough, and the blaze caught Rowlet right on his wings. The owl Pokemon let out a pained caw in response.

"Rowlet, get in the game! It's just little sparks!" she called out, eliciting a groan from Eddy.

"Your Pokemon's weak to fire, idiot!" he told her in annoyance. "But... I guess now we know that thing's a Fire Type, at least."

"(Excellent choice, madam,)" Rowlet squawked, trying to shake the remaining burns out of his wings. "(Now your allies know they have an advantage against Salandit.)"

"Jimmy, we gotta both use Bubble!" Eddy called out. "Krabby! Do it!"

Jimmy nodded, and uttered the same command from his fellow Water Type. Two streams of bubbles came from them, spreading out to hit two different targets from each side, and overwhelming Salandit in the middle. The lizard had a harder time standing up after that, and both Krabby and Horsea were more than a little proud of their combined damage.

"(Now that is what I like to see!)" Krabby chittered. "(Cheers, mate!)"

"Alright, if we can keep it up, that lizard has no chance!" exclaimed Eddy.

"Laugh while ya can, Casanova." Lee countered. "My turn now. Dewpider! Use Infestation!"

"Grimer, use Pound!"

The large bug, which they now knew was called 'Dewpider', sent a hail of energy from underground, catching Krabby with an attack. It didn't look to do a lot, but the secondary effect was what caught Eddy's attention. Once the attack was done, Krabby was covered with what looked like glowing bugs, which continued to try and bite his Water Type the whole time.

"Okay that's a new on-"

"Rowlet, Tackle!"

Once again, Sarah's Pokemon came in to try and attack the Bug Type, this time having his attack land. However, to get the damage off, Rowlet was forced to take Grimer's Pound attack, bringing him dangerously close to being knocked out right then and there. The only benefit of this was that Dewpider was forced to back off for a bit.

"Alright! That's what I like to see, Rowlet!"

"Be careful, will ya!?" Eddy told her. "You only got one Pokemon, ya know?"

"Hey, I don't insult the way YOU battle!" Sarah spat back. "Don't insult the way I battle!"

"I'm not! I'm trying to keep this from being a three on two here!"

"Too late for that!" the two heard Marie call out in the midst of their bickering. "Salandit, use Ember on that stupid bird!"

"Krabby, take the shot!"

This time around, Eddy's Pokemon was able to close the distance in time, thanks to the attack being commanded once Rowlet had flown back near their side of this battlefield. Using his naturally high speed (by his species' standards' at least), Krabby blocked the attack. But even though he resisted it, Salandit's attack left quite the impact, dealing heavy damage.

And from the sidelines, Eddy could practically feel Sarah's grin.

"Now who needs to be careful?"

To this, Eddy rolled his eyes.

"This is gonna be a LONG fight, I can already tell."

* * *

"Wow, that was a quick fight."

Kevin recalled his Treecko, having defeated the monk Eisō with all the relative difficulty of swatting a fly. This was his first battle since he'd arrived, with Ryuji taking the challenge of an opponent named Chinnen, and Double D winning against one known as Mokunen.

From what he could gather, all the Monks in this tower were all going to use Bellsprout, but that was honestly fine with him. It meant his Treecko would be in good shape, if he understood this whole 'Type Advantage' thing Double D kept going on about.

And plus, they were now at the ladder of floor two.

"So, everyone else ready?" Kevin asked, eager to see if there was anyone on the final floor.

"As good as I can be." Ryuji told him with confidence.

"Oh, certainly," Double D replied, his face in his Pokedex and his starter on his head.

This sight made Kevin have to hold back a chuckle. "You sure you're okay with that thing on your head?"

"Oh it's fine," the brainiac replied. "She's not particularly heavy, and the scent emanating from her leaf helps to soothe any potential nerves."

"Sounds like you two are a match made in heaven."

"Indeed..."

While they were approaching the ladder, Double D continued to be engrossed in his search. Finally it had bore fruit, as he found exactly what he'd been hoping to find. An image, to put his suspicions to rest. And as he zoomed in upon it, a cursory glance gave him all the info he needed.

Eyes widened and breath caught in his throat, Double D nearly dropped his Pokedex in sheer shock. An act that did not go unnoticed by his travelling companions, as they looked back in worry.

"What's wrong?" Ryuji asked, especially worried when he realized Double D was avoiding eye contact.

"N-nothing... I merely felt a strange chill run up my spine."

"A chill? Maybe there's a ghost Pokemon around or somethin'."

And as if right on cue, a sickly sweet scent assaulted the three boys' noses, and both Ryuji and Kevin immediately knew something was up. Looking to their left, the answer was gotten, as the two boys looked to see a dark purple creature, almost entirely gaseous in form. The only solid matter appearing on the monster was a pair of eyes and a mouth, both appearing disembodied from the main form. And from the look in its eyes, the Pokemon was not happy.

"(Can't a restless spirit sleep in this accursed tower?)" the Ghost Type grumbled. "(It's not even noon yet, and yet you are going off and battling?)"

"Whoa! What the hell is that thing?" Kevin asked, pulling out his Pokedex to get an entry on what this new Pokemon was. The explanation was swift, and this is what he was given:

_'Gastly, the Gas Pokemon_

_Ghost Type_

_With a body composed almost entirely of gas, it can sneak into any place it desires. However, when exposed to strong winds, a Gastly's body quickly dwindles away.'_

"Alright, choice!" declared Kevin as he pulled out his Poke Ball. "I call dibs! Now let's knock that thing into the ground, Treecko!"

Second verse, same as the first, Treecko entered the battlefield, and the fight began. Ryuji was watching from the sidelines, very excited to see if this new Mon would be joining his friend's team.

As for Double D, he took this moment to sneak off behind the ladder, Chikorita in tow, and take a much needed deep breath.

"Well, that certainly was convenient," he whispered, intent on avoiding detection from his friends.

Chikorita nodded. "(That grumpy old Gastly has really good timing! Reminds me of a certain Water Type I know.)"

While the words of his starter were completely alien to him, Double D was glad she was there all the same. He was going to need someone to vent this to. Taking out his Pokedex once again, he continued to stare at the screen, still not over what he saw upon it. It seemed unreal, yet undeniably plausible at the same time. So what was he to do or say here?

"Okay, calm down, Eddward," he mumbled. "If it IS him... he would most likely have said something about it. But then again, there could be a personal reason why he would withhold such an important piece of information as well. Attempts to avoid detection, perhaps. So maybe..."

"Hey! Double Dweeb!"

Pulled from his trance, the boy turned around and saw Kevin looking at him. From what he could gather, Treecko was trying to punch Gastly, but as was to be expected, the Grass Type merely phased through, receiving a nasty Lick as retaliation.

"Why ain't my attack going through, man?" Kevin asked, to which Double D couldn't help but grin. Seems Kevin didn't have his type matchups down just yet.

"You're attempting to use Pound, a Normal Type move, on a Ghost Type, which are completely immune to Normal Type Attacks," Double D explained. "You're going to have to try a different attack if you want to make any headway against our incorporeal friend there."

"Gotcha. Alright, Treecko, you heard him! Use Absorb!"

The Grass Type nodded, and pushed it's hands outward as they were covered in a green energy. "(Hope ya like makin' me stronger, dude.)"

The Gastly let out a low groan as he felt a small bit of his own vitality leave him. While not exceptional, the effect was clear on his opponent, who was covered in a revitalizing glow for a second.

"(So, this will be the long game, then?)" Gastly asked, his eyes glowing blue. "(You're going to regret that, I hope you're aware.)"

"(I never regret choices I make.)" Treecko countered, closing his own eyes as he used another Absorb at the request of his trainer. "(It'll be you who regrets getting in our way. Or maybe you'll look back on it fondly. You never know.)"

Another small bit of energy removed from Gastly and into Treecko, as the former scoffed. "(Are you always so nonchalant during a confrontation?)"

"(Ever since I hatched.)"

Gastly remained silent, and simply Licked Treecko once more. This time, however an effect lingered afterward, leaving the gecko feeling like his muscles wouldn't listen.

"What the heck is going on!?" demanded Kevin. "Get in the game, little dude!"

"Looks like he's paralyzed..." Ryuji lamented. "There's a chance he might not be able to move when you call for an attack."

"I sure as heck ain't risking that."

Without a second thought, Kevin took out a Poke Ball, and before anyone could warn him against it, chucked the device right at the wild Gastly. The red energy surrounded the creature, as it was pulled into the ball much like Spinarak the previous time he had done this. As it landed on the ground, everyone watched with great anticipation as the ball shook once...

Twice...

Thrice...

And with a resounding *DING!* the capture was complete.

Kevin was grinning ear to ear as he approached his new Pokemon's ball. The sheer adrenaline of another successful catch was enough to make him want to dance. He wouldn't, but it certainly made him WANT to.

However, that adrenaline was then counterbalanced by the look on Ryuji's face. That judging look, that seemed to be scrutinizing his last move... as if he'd made a mistake. And he hated that.

"I wouldn't throw Poke Balls willy nilly like that," he simply said. "That's a waste of money."

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?" questioned Kevin. "I don't see the issue. I caught the Gastly."

"Yeah, because you got especially lucky. But luck is like a home-cooked meal. It can't last forever. Every Poke Ball you throw is a gamble, since none of them are perfect guarantees you'll catch a Pokemon. And going gung-ho like that can backfire pretty hard."

Kevin crossed his arms and sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, he understood what Ryuji was trying to tell him. He was very calm when he explained it, and it was very clear he was trying to help.

And considering they were flat broke, it was probably good advice to follow.

"Uh... look, I'm sorry," Ryuji eventually relented. "I didn't mean to take the wind outta your sails there. I j-"

"Nah, don't worry dude. I'm still pretty happy. And plus, I get what you're trying to say."

"Well, I'm glad. Now, you wanna head to the top floor?"

"Just a moment."

At this point, Double D was back to deliberating on his previous topic, and nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt Kevin tap him on the shoulder. But then, his focus returned to his ally, as he saw a Pokedex in his hand, and the entry on Gastly. It was there, that he got to see the stats of the popular Ghost Type.

_HP: 30_

_Attack: 35_

_Defense: 30_

_Special Attack: 100_

_Special Defense: 35_

_Speed: 80_

Curiosity was the blonde's initial response, but he was ultimately intrigued by why this page had been brought up.

"Alright dude, are these stats any good?" Kevin asked. "Like I see the 100 and the 80, but I don't know if that's gonna be a strong Pokemon or not."

"Well, I've not gotten a perfect point of reference at this point," Double D admitted, scratching the back of his head. "However, I have used a Gengar before, and I can tell you from experience that they are quite fast, and immaculate special attackers, with their main downside being poor physical bulk."

This brought a smirk to Kevin's face, as he spun the Poke Ball on his fingertip. "That's all I needed to hear. I think I'll keep it on my team then."

"Building a team based on heavy offensive presence, are we?"

"Coach always said the best defense is an overwhelming offense."

Double D couldn't help but roll his eyes. "In certain contexts, I suppose. Now then, shall we continue, gentlemen?"

"Sure. I bet the others are getting bored waiting on us."

* * *

"Dewpider! Attack the runt!"

Down in the middle of town, things were not going well for the group, as the Kankers' Pokemon were far stronger than they had expected. The group had barely had the ability to take down Salandit, it took the sacrifice of both Krabby and Horsea to knock that Grimer down. But thanks to Sarah's reckless behavior, Jimmy's Litten was forced to keep running interference. The combination of this and their attempts to hound Sarah specifically meant that now the boy was down to his last Poke Ball, and they'd managed to get through two Pokemon.

As if to make matters worse, they were up against two new opponents; a small brown crocodilian creature known as 'Sandile' from Marie, and a large metallic seed creature known as 'Ferroseed' from May.

And now, Lee's Dewpider was issued a command. Yet the arachnid hesitated, and everyone in the party could see it. It clearly didn't want to attack Jimmy, yet Lee's tolerance for its hesitance was clearly minimal.

"I SAID..." Lee enunciated, cracking her knuckles as if to emphasize her point. "Attack the runt!"

Seeing the threat, Dewpider knew he would be in for far more hurt if he didn't, and that left it upset.

"(Arceus forgive me for what I'm about to do...)" Dewpider mumbled.

And in an instant, it jumped right past Eddy's Spearow and Sarah's Rowlet. Right as Jimmy reached for his final Poke Ball, the attack landed, knocking Jimmy onto his back, and screeching out as the boy let out a scream of abject horror.

Eddy and Sarah both tried to jump into action, but were stopped dead in their tracks by the bright light that was the Poke Ball opening. From within came out Jimmy's newest teammate, barreling forward before piercing Dewpider's side with its own conical horn, and knocking the both of them off the poor boy.

Jimmy stood back up, heart still racing a mile a minute, as Lee let out an irritated groan, recalling the fellow Bug Type, leaving only Weedle. Honestly, he didn't know what to say. Weedle came to save him, and he had not been prepared to be saved by a giant bug today...

"Um... W-Weedle?"

"(Don't worry about it,)" the larval hornet assured with a confident chitter. "(I may not be very tough, but I'm not afraid of these guys at all!)"

The bug looked back at him, and while seeing its visage still gave Jimmy the worst heebie jeebies, he feared far worse what the Kankers would do if they won this fight. So, he worked against the hairs standing up on the back of his neck, and tried to keep this battle in mind. After all, they were down three teammates, and it was dangerously close to becoming a three-on-two at this point.

"Alright then, shrimp," Lee sneered. "You're gonna love this one. Yamask, go!"

From Lee's next Poke Ball burst out a small, shadowy creature, lithe and spindly in shape, with a pair of red eyes that were glaring at the trainers. Below its head rested a golden mask, eerily human in features, as if they were looking at a real human's face...

"Okay, this ain't good!" Eddy said. "We're gonna have to go hard if we want to win."

"So keep doing what I've been doing, got it!" Sarah said. "Rowlet! Peck that ugly thing!"

"No wai-"

Before they could stop her, Sarah's Pokemon went in one more time, intent on attacking the Yamask. However, the Kankers had been ready in advance.

"(You ain't getting a hit in this time!)" Sandile snarled, bringing its jaws down upon one of Rowlet's wings. Eddy called for a Peck to try and help Rowlet get out of the croc's mouth, but unfortunately it was too late. Spearow could only watch as her ally was thrown back to Sarah.

"(Curses... after all that work I put in.)" Rowlet joked, trying to ignore the stinging pain of that Bite attack. "(I leave the rest to you, my comrades.)"

Both Spearow and Weedle nodded, accepting this outcome and preparing for a battle that required them to be outnumbered. But unfortunately, it seemed that Rowlet's own trainer was not ready to accept this.

"Get up, you lazy bum!" She called out to Rowlet. "Come on! We can't lose here!"

"Afraid your little rat with wings is out of steam," taunted Marie. "One down, two to go!"

"Shut up! Rowlet can still fight!"

"Oh really? Then Yamask, attack her bird with Astonish!"

"Spearow! Intercept and use Peck!"

This was what Lee was expecting, and why her smirk never left her face. Forcing these two to make up for the mistakes of their reckless little teammate was making everything far too easy. And now, her man was taking an attack, bringing him closer to defeat, and closer to her getting what she wanted...

Or at least that's what she thought, before her Yamask's tendril-like hands completely phased through Spearow, leaving the former shocked and the latter more confident. In an instant, the wind was taken out of her sails, further so as the bird's hooked beak pierced into Yamask's arm, dealing a good amount of damage.

"Ah, heck yeah! That's what I like to see!" exclaimed Eddy. "Now get outta here, will ya Sarah? We need a switch-in."

Sarah rolled her eyes, but couldn't deny it anymore. If they kept bickering, then they wouldn't be able to focus on the fight. So, with great reluctance, she recalled Rowlet, and stepped out of the scene. And as she did, another boy in a yellow shirt took her place quickly.

"Small fire monkey! Enter the fray!"

And on command, Chimchar was now on their battlefield, beating her chest as she met with their new opponents.

"(Arceus above, our opponents are ugly,)" she laughed. "(But no matter. They're going to get what's coming to them, right girls?)"

"(I'm with you there.)" Spearow agreed.

"(Well I'm not a girl, but I'll still fight.)" Weedle chittered, trying to stand upright in an attempt to look intimidating.

Eddy patted the farmboy on his shoulder when he was near the two of them, glad to have a new ally on the field. "Welcome aboard, Rolfy boy. Now, you ready to go?"

"All doubts have been erased from Rolf's mind," he assured. "This battle shall be won by our hands! Now then, shall we?"

"Let's go!"

* * *

"Let's go!"

Kevin pumped his fist in the air in celebration, very grateful to have taken down his second opponent today. The monk Kainen was a more interesting opponent that the previous one, partially thanks to adding some variety to his arsenal with a Hoothoot. A Hoothoot that made for a particularly nasty opponent with its super effective Pecks, but thankfully his Treecko was just barely able to eke out a victory.

And now, they had beaten almost every opponent this tower had to offer.

The only opponent remaining was standing before them, waiting patiently while they healed up their Pokemon. The Elder Kōsei, he was known as, and he certainly looked the part, with far more elegant robes than the others, large white mustache, and the wise and sagely expression of a kind old grandfather.

"You have done well to make it this far, children." Kōsei declared. "Sprout Tower is a place of training, to test the bonds between you and your Pokemon. And I am your final test."

"You're going to fight us, then?" Kevin asked. "Well alright, bring it!"

"I will indeed. However, I can only face one of you at the moment. And I do believe I know who I would like to face."

Those words definitely left them a bit exasperated, as they'd made this for only one of them to be able to battle. However, it was not the end of the world, and all they could do was wait for the older man to reveal his choice.

"You, in the green," he finally continued, after a sufficiently tense silence. "Tell me your name."

"Kevin Barr."

"A lovely name. Well then, Kevin Barr, you shall be my opponent. Do you accept?"

"No doubt about it, man! You're goin' down!"

From their peripheral vision, the other two boys noticed that the monks had stepped back, and were standing in reverence at the two trainers pointing Poke Balls at one another. Almost like this was a sacred ceremony of sorts, and they were about to witness a special event unlike any other.

And if the looks in both trainers' eyes was any indication, it likely would be.

"Bellsprout, I need your assistance!"

"Treecko, let's show some hustle!"

Both Pokemon entered the field in a magnificent display of light, and before either Ryuji or Double D could get the chance to comment, both Pokemon were given commands to attack. Treecko rushed in, delivering a heavy Pound attack right to the face of the flower Pokemon, but not without receiving a Vine Whip to the stomach. After this exchange, both Pokemon jumped back, and Treecko smiled.

"(You're pretty tough,)" he complimented. "(I like that in an opponent.)"

"(Likewise. It is clear your trainer has done well to increase your prowess.)"

"Pretty good, little buddy!" Kevin called out. "Now let's try somethin' else. Use Leer!"

Taking a page out of Eddy's book, Kevin's starter turned its piercing gaze toward Bellsprout, enveloping it in a bright blue aura for a few moments, signaling a Defense drop. However, the fellow Grass Type was relatively unfazed, and in fact seemed more confident by this exchange.

"Bellsprout, use Growth!"

Those three words made it evident why, as Bellsprout is covered in a bright orange aura, boosting its Attack and Special Attack up. And once again, the floor was Kevin's, and he had no intention of letting his opponent get another shot in.

"Pound! This time with oomph!"

"Vine Whip once more!"

Much to the Elder's surprise, Treecko did not attack immediately, instead waiting as his opponent rushed in to slam its vine-like leg into him. And when Bellsprout was winding up to make contact, was when a different attack was finally revealed.

In a flash, Treecko had vanished, and appeared once again beneath Bellsprout. Seizing this opportunity, he slammed his head right into it's face, sending Bellsprout flying backward. After such a shot, it had a much harder time getting back up.

"My word!" Double D exclaimed, amazed at the sight before him. "It seems Kevin's Treecko has gained Quick Attack as part of its arsenal!"

"And by the looks of it, got a pretty nasty critical hit..." Ryuji responded, getting just as into it as his companion. "I'd love to see the Elder's response to that one."

As his Pokemon finally got back to it's feet, the Elder Kōsei smiled.

"You have power, young one," he mused. "If you continue to give it form, then you will achieve great things."

"Well that's good to know, old timer." Kevin told him confidently. "Because I'm aiming to become the next champion. And I'm gonna make the strongest team I can to see that through!"

"I see... quite the ambitious goal. And we will see this as your first step."

"Then I'll make sure it's a good one. Give 'em hell, Treecko!"

* * *

"As it is said by hotshot Kevin-boy, 'give them hell', flaming monkey! Use Ember!"

"Cyndaquil, you use Tackle on that Sandile!"

"Weedle! Use String Shot on Sandile!"

Three commands were given, all in near unison. Tensions were high with two of the three trainers who were down to their last Pokemon, and they needed to make this round count. First was Chimchar, who unleashed a torrent of flames right at the Grass and Steel Type. Ferroseed buckled under the pressure, falling onto its back as it fainted.

As for Sandile, Cyndaquil's head slammed right into the Sandile's side, dealing a decent chunk of damage to the larger beast, who roared in response. He stepped back quickly, as his opponent stood back up from that strike.

"(Damn...)" it growled in irritation. "(I'm really starting to get careless if YOU can get a hit in. I mean look at you, you can't even use your fire yet!)"

As if on cue, and specifically to add insult to injury, Weedle's attack finally came in, covering not only Sandile, but the nearby Yamask in sticky string, hindering their movement as their speed lowered twofold. The team all looked at the battlefield and grinned, liking these odds much more than what they'd had before.

"Alright!" exclaimed Eddy. "Now we're cooking with gas. Keep on fighting, Cyndaquil!"

"Laugh while ya can, hot stuff," Lee taunted. "This fight is far from over, and you're lookin' a lot worse for wear than we are."

"Yuck it up all ya want. We ain't losing!"

"(Yeah...)" Weedle added. "(Especially if I do this!)"

Suddenly, a bright light enveloped Weedle, as all 6 competitors were pulled from their trash talking to focus on the miracle before them. The Bug Type's body solidified and stiffened in its silhouette, before bursting forward to reveal its new form. A new form which both amazed, and caused Jimmy to take a few steps back.

"W-what just happened?" he asked. "Why does my Weedle look like that?"

"It ain't a Weedle anymore, little man," Eddy explained. "That thing's called Kakuna. It's the evolved form of... Weedle... wait a minute!"

Before anyone else could interject, Eddy grabbed Jimmy by the shoulders. "You said you caught that Weedle at Level 3, right?"

"Y-yeah...?"

"And in order to become a Kakuna, it has to reach Level 7. And you haven't used that thing so far because you're a wimp when it comes to bugs-"

"It's the biggest wiggly bug I've ever seen, gimme a break!"

"So that would have to mean it got a lot of experience from just beating that Dewpider..."

Jimmy could practically see the numbers running across Eddy's face, as his expression suddenly went to one of abject shock. Practically everyone was ready to interject at this point, but never got the chance, as an ear-piercing yell was released from Eddy's mouth, letting out his current frustrations:

"HOW OVERLEVELED ARE THOSE ABOMINATIONS!?"

* * *

The battle between Kevin's Treecko and Kōsei's Bellsprout had been quite the sight, as both sides continued to assault the other with their strongest attacks. But it didn't end at one Bellsprout, as the second one demanded his attention to such a degree that he was forced to use a Potion before his final hit, leaving his opponent to face Spinarak instead.

And once again, it was left down to a few lucky strikes, and the Poison Stings landing well compared to Bellsprout's Vine Whips.

Now, well into the third round, Kevin recalled his Spinarak for Treecko once again, and immediately regretted it when it was revealed that his opponent was a Hoothoot. One Peck was all it took, and the Grass Type was left reeling.

"Crap... return!" Kevin commanded as he recalled his starter, and pulled out another Poke Ball. "Well, here's your chance to prove yourself. Go Gastly!"

The Ghost Type entered the fray, shaking himself in midair to wake itself. Once his vision was clear, so too was the objective.

"(Well, I never expected to be brought back into the art of war...)" Gastly sighed, but grinned all the same. "(Very well then, Hoothoot. I shall be your opponent.)"

"(It is an honor, oh deceased one,)" cawed Kōsei's Hoothoot. "(Let us continue!)"

"Alright Gastly, we got one shot at this! Use Hypnosis!"

"Counter with Peck, my friend!"

Hoothoot closed the distance before Gastly's attack could go off, and practically implanted it's sharp beak into the gaseous form of Kevin's newest teammate, dealing a rather hefty chunk of damage in a single strike. Gastly reeled back for a second in response, but did not seem fazed in the slightest.

"(Fatal mistake!)"

Unleashing a powerful Hypnotic gaze upon Kōsei's feathered friend, it looked as though everything was in order to win. Kevin grinned in anticipation to see the Flying Type fall to the effects of drowsiness, giving him the chance he needed to turn this whole thing around.

... It never came.

He waited, grin slowly fading with each passing second, as he realized that the Hypnosis attack had failed. Somehow, some way, Hoothoot was still awake.

"That ain't right!" Kevin said incredulously. "I know Hypnosis landed there. Your bird should be hitting the hay right now!"

"And normally it would, my boy," Kōsei retorted, amused in his own right. "But unfortunately for you, Hoothoot's Ability is Insomnia. Sleep moves will have no effect on it whatsoever."

"What? Aw man... I'm not sure I got anything that can get me out of this one."

"It is perfectly okay to surrender, young one," offered Kōsei. "There is no shame to be found in losing."

"Yeah, other than knowing I messed up."

Each and every monk on this floor looked as their Elder shook his head. He recalled his Hoothoot, and merely approached Kevin, his smile never faltering.

"Failure is a natural part of life," he explained soothingly. "It helps us to grow, like the sun helps a Bellsprout on its path to a mighty Victreebel. And if you can learn from this failure, you will be one step closer to becoming a Champion."

The room went silent for a bit, as Kōsei's words hung in the air, given time to perfectly crystalize and form within Kevin's mind.

 _'Man, this old geezer really knows his stuff,'_ he thought, looking to Gastly's Poke Ball. _'Ah heck, maybe he's right. I can take one loss on my record. I'll just have to work harder to make sure it's my ONLY loss.'_

And with that, Kevin recalled his Pokemon, signaling the end of the battle, as the monks all bowed in respect to both trainers involved.

"You are always welcome for a rematch," Kōsei assured. "And I wish you the best of luck on your journey to the top. However, I would like to offer you a word of caution, if you shall listen."

"Lay it on me," Kevin answered without hesitation.

"Do not worry ENTIRELY about the power your Pokemon hold. Battles are not won simply by strength alone, and if you forget that, then you may end up forgetting the most important part of Pokemon training."

"Oh yeah?"

Kōsei nodded. "A boy about your age came to challenge me yesterday. Said his name was 'Silver'. And while he was certainly a powerful opponent, there was no denying how harsh he was to his Pokemon. It was as if he viewed them as nothing more than tools. Such an arrangement is very disheartening, and I should hope one day that he remembers the importance of having and understanding between trainer and Pokemon."

Hearing this made Kevin think for only a split second, as such a thought entered his mind. Was he treating his Pokemon right? He'd never had a pet beyond his goldfish, so how was he supposed to know all the proper care? Would he need to learn? And if so, how quick?

"Well, thanks for tellin' me, dude." Kevin said, shaking the Elder's hand. "I'll try to treat my Pokemon right and all that. Don't worry, I won't end up like that 'Silver' dork."

"I am glad to have helped. For now, we have nothing more we can offer, other than an escape rope to assist you in your exit."

"That's probably a good idea. My pals are probably bored out of their minds waiting on us."

It was at that moment in which everyone in the room heard a shrill, exasperated yell coming from outside. Even through the walls of the tower, they could hear it crystal clear:

"HOW OVERLEVELED ARE THOSE ABOMINATIONS!?"

Ryuji looked worried at this declaration. "Was that Eddy?"

"Certainly sounds like it," Double D commented. "No one else I know could rattle the timbers of buildings with their needlessly exaggerated shrieks."

"Well from the sounds of it, something's causing trouble out there. We'd better get a move on."

"I concur..."

Without a moment to spare, Ryuji grabbed the escape rope, and set it up through an opening in the back wall. Tying the knot and making sure it was secure, he beckoned his allies to join him as he started to make his way down. Kevin was not too far behind, but Double D hesitated more than a bit. He'd never been the athletic type, yet it seemed the fastest way down.

"I should hope I don't mess this up," he mumbled, grabbing onto the rope and holding on for dear life. He tried to take it nice and slow, but was hurried up when he heard the shocked and worried cries of Eddy and Jimmy down below. Nearly doubling his initial pace as he felt the adrenaline that came with worry for his friends, the brainiac was able to make it down at a reasonable pace, and joined Ryuji and Kevin at the ground floor.

"Wait a second, that's him, girls!"

At the worst time, evidently.

Finally having made it down, the first sight that Double D was greeted with made him wish he had looked away. The Kanker Sisters were here, and they were extremely disgruntled as they looked to the group's guide.

"You three," Ryuji said slowly, clenching one of his hands and standing a bit more upright than his usual laid-back posture. "What in the hell are you doing here?"

"We're looking for you," May Kanker explained, sending out her Seedot. "We want payback for that last fight."

"And it looks like you saved us the trouble of finding you," Marie added, returning Sandile and sending out Nincada. "This is gonna feel so damn good, beating you into the ground."

"And the best part is," Lee continued, switching Yamask for Aron. "After we're done beatin' you, we're takin' your Pokemon, and takin' our boyfriends back with us."

"Good luck with that," countered Ryuji. "I ain't no pushover. You oughta know that from our last fight."

"Things are different now. We're taking you out in one shot."

Without another word, Ryuji reached for his Poke Ball, and that was when the Kankers sprung into action. Their Pokemon practically jumped at Ryuji, clearly intent on harming him instead of whatever Mon he had the intention of sending out. The others sent their Pokemon to try and catch up, but the massive head start meant they couldn't reach in time. All three Pokemon were about to attack Ryuji directly.

And then... they heard a new voice enter the fray, his message loud and clear, and confident as any they'd ever had the pleasure of listening to:

"Pidgeot! Use Air Slash!"

* * *

**PARTY DATA:**

**EDDY**

Cyndaquil

\- Male

\- Level 9

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Quiet Nature

\- Alert to Sounds

\- Moves: Tackle, Leer, Smokescreen

Krabby

\- Male

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Hyper Cutter

\- Jolly Nature

\- Likes to Fight

\- Moves: Vise Grip, Bubble, Mud Sport

Spearow

\- Female

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Keen Eye

\- Impish Nature

\- Scatters Things Often

\- Moves: Growl, Peck, Leer

**ED**

Totodile

\- Male

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Torrent

\- Jolly Nature

\- Somewhat of a Clown

\- Moves: Scratch, Leer, Water Gun, Rage

Rattata

\- Male

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Guts

\- Adamant Nature

\- A Little Quick Tempered

\- Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Quick Attack, Focus Energy

Rocky (Onix)

\- Male

\- Level 3

\- Ability: Sturdy

\- Hasty Nature

\- Sturdy Body

\- Moves: Tackle, Harden, Bind, Mud Sport

**DOUBLE D**

Chikorita

\- Female

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Gentle Nature

\- Good Endurance

\- Moves: Tackle, Growl, Razor Leaf

Pidgey

\- Male

\- Level 9

\- Ability: Keen Eye

\- Sassy Nature

\- Scatters things Often

\- Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust

**KEVIN**

Treecko

\- Male

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Lax Nature

\- Thoroughly Cunning

\- Moves: Pound, Leer, Absorb, Quick Attack

Spinarak

\- Female

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Insomnia

\- Naïve Nature

\- Alert to Sounds

\- Moves: Constrict, Poison Sting, String Shot, Absorb

Gastly

\- Male

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Levitate

\- Serious Nature

\- Likes to Relax

\- Moves: Hypnosis, Lick, Spite

**ROLF**

Chimchar

\- Female

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Naughty Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Scratch, Leer, Ember

Geodude

\- Male

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Sturdy

\- Careful Nature

\- Loves to Eat

\- Moves: Tackle, Defense Curl, Mud Sport, Rock Polish

Poliwag

\- Male

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Water Absorb

\- Brave Nature

\- Good Endurance

\- Moves: Water Sport, Water Gun, Hypnosis

Hoothoot

\- Female

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Keen Eye

\- Gentle Nature

\- Often lost in Thought

\- Moves: Foresight, Growl, Tackle, Hypnosis

**NAZZ**

Popplio

\- Female

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Torrent

\- Calm Nature

\- Often Lost in Thought

\- Moves: Pound, Growl, Water Gun

Sentret

\- Male

\- Level 2

\- Ability: Run Away

\- Bashful Nature

\- Likes to Fight

\- Moves: Scratch, Foresight

Caterpie

\- Female

\- Level 4

\- Ability: Shield Dust

\- Calm Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Tackle, String Shot

**SARAH**

Rowlet

\- Male

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Brave Nature

\- Likes to Relax

\- Moves: Tackle, Growl, Leafage, Peck

**JIMMY**

Litten

\- Male

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Hardy Nature

\- Quick Tempered

\- Moves: Scratch, Growl, Ember

Horsea

\- Female

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Swift Swim

\- Docile Nature

\- Study Body

\- Moves: Bubble, Smokescreen

Kakuna

\- Male

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Shed Skin

\- Lonely Nature

\- Likes to Fight

\- Moves: Poison Sting, String Shot, Harden

**RYUJI**

Fennekin

\- Female

\- Level 11

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Mild Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Scratch, Tail Whip, Ember, Howl

Poliwag

\- Female

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Water Absorb

\- Docile Nature

\- Sturdy Body

\- Moves: Water Sport, Water Gun, Hypnosis

Bellsprout

\- Male

\- Level 3

\- Ability: Chlorophyll

\- Hasty Nature

\- Loves to Eat

\- Moves: Vine Whip


	6. Hayato

**So, here we have the first chapter of 2021, and hopefully the first chapter of January 2021. I'm still gonna try to keep up my goal of being more consistent, because at the rate I'm going, I'm never gonna finish this thing. And I absolutely WANT to finish this thing. There's so much you guys haven't seen yet, you don't even know! But I digress.**

**So, before this chapter begins, I would like to preface, that with Gym Leaders, I will be taking a bit of creative liberties on their teams. One detail about Johto that always disappointed me was how the Johto Leaders didn't use more of the new Johto Pokemon. I mean seriously, the first Johto Pokemon we saw on a Gym Leader's team was Whitney and her Miltank! And then we had to wait all the way until Jasmine before we saw a new Johto Pokemon! Like, I get why, again, they're right next to Kanto, but it seems like a missed opportunity. So, I'm gonna use that opportunity.**

**Also, I will be using Gold and Silver's Levels for all the Gym Leader's Pokemon, to make up for how... divided EXP is, I guess would be the best way to explain it. But don't worry, there'll be plenty of interesting battles. As for the battles themselves, well, I think I'm going to focus on one or two trainers in the group (depending on how cluttered the chapters are), and have the others' battles happen offscreen. Sorry if you wanna see all of them, but there's only so many ways for me to write a battle between a Gym Leader and a trainer.**

**Oh also, I was thinking I might make a Ko-fi account at some point, where people can throw me a couple bucks and I can do requests for them. If I decide to do so, I'll let you guys know, and then you can decide what you do from there.**

**Anyway, on with the show. I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter of 'Pokemon EDventures: Johto Journeys'!**

* * *

The winds howled as a blade of air rocketed right into the armored hide of Aron. Despite the massive resistance to the move, it was still knocked a sizeable distance away. Time seemed to stand still for a moment, as the Kankers' attention was drawn immediately to the culprit.

To their right side, stood a young man - not much older than any of them, by the looks of it - dressed in a rather traditional getup, all in vibrant blues. His gaze was piercing, as he sized the Kanker sisters up, his partner waiting by his side.

"I will not tolerate attacks such as this within my town," he said simply, his tone leaving no room for discussion. "You three are to leave right now."

Lee Kanker scoffed at the notion. "And who do you think you are, birdbrain?"

"Hayato," he retorted immediately. "Violet City Gym Leader, and the master of Flying Type Pokemon. As well as one with little patience for bullies. Now I will repeat this only once: LEAVE."

No one in the party dared say a word, awestruck by this display of guts from him. And from what they could tell of his luxuriously maned bird friend, it looked like that confidence was certainly justified.

But it was clear that Lee Kanker did not see that. "You don't scare us. Aron, get up and use Rock Tomb!"

The Steel Type complied, staring down Hayato's Pidgeot, who merely looked down upon it as if staring at the smallest of Bug Types.

"(Don't even try it, fledgling,)" Pidgeot warned, spreading its wings threateningly. "(You are far from my league in your current state.)"

"(Arrogant, aren't you? You're nothing but a rat with wings!)"

In an instant, Aron materialized four stones, which it then headbutted in the direction of the Pidgeot. They flew true, and managed to find their mark without much issue, which brought a smirk to the face of Aron's trainer.

A smirk that faded when Hayato's Pokemon merely shrugged off the attack, with all the indifference of swatting away a mosquito. From there, the three girls went from confident to worried.

"How!?" Lee demanded. "I thought those birds were weak to rocks! That's how it works, don't it!?"

"I'm afraid you won't clip our wings so easily," Hayato taunted. "Pidgeot, Whirlwind!"

And with the command given, Pidgeot's wings began to flap with force beyond anything they'd seen thus far. A powerful gust of wind knocked all the Pokemon off their feet, as they were sucked back up by their Pokeballs. Their trainers tried their best to keep their footing, with Lee even trying to push forward in an attempt to clobber Hayato. But the sheer speed of the air flowing past them was more than any of them could be asked to withstand.

In a second, all three girls were blown away, flying through the air into the distance. No one in the party knew where they were going, or where they would land. All they knew was that the Kankers were now out of their hair.

And they had this 'Hayato' fellow to thank.

Speaking of which, the Gym Leader turned around, looking to the part with a much softer expression than before.

"Apologies for intervening," he stated, much calmer now that the threat was gone. "But it seemed like your friend there needed some help."

"Well, you arrived in the nick of time," Ryuji said. "I wasn't looking forward to getting jumped."

"If you don't mind me asking, who were those three?"

"The Kankers."

Both trainers turned their attention to Eddy, who ran a hand through his hair in annoyance.

"Those three are nothin' but trouble," he continued. "And that was BEFORE they got their hands on Pokemon. Wherever they land, I sure hope they don't end up leveling the place."

Hayato's eyes widened. "That's disconcerting. But I suppose I'll just have to keep my ear to the ground. If you don't mind me asking, why were they after your friend here?"

"Because he beat all three of 'em with just one Pokemon."

"Really?"

Eddy nodded, and Hayato looked to the brunette. This man, with his slacked shoulders and easygoing stance? It sounded farfetched, and yet the evidence was made clear by their resolve to attack before he could retaliate.

And knowing that, he nodded. "It sounds like you are quite the formidable opponent, then. Quite the formidable opponent indeed."

"Not really," Ryuji told him. "It was just a desperate situation."

"My father always said desperation reveals the true nature of man. But I digress. Should you seek a challenge, come to my Gym, and face me. I'll be looking forward to it."

And without another word, Hayato walked away, returning his Pidgeot as he went to enter the Gym. No one really knew what to say after that one, so among them, someone said the first thing to come to mind.

"So, how was the tower, dude?"

Ryuji, Kevin, and Double D all turned their attention toward Nazz, who was petting her Popplio nervously. She hadn't dared to say anything since the Kankers made their appearance, but now, curiosity had finally gotten the better of her.

"Well, I lost at the very end," Kevin admitted. "That Elder dude had this one Pokemon that my Pokemon couldn't knock out. And to make it worse, my new 'Mon couldn't put it to sleep."

"Wait, you caught something that knew how to put things to sleep?" Asked Eddy, intrigued by what it could have been. To answer his question, Kevin then brought his Gastly out, which squinted in annoyance at the afternoon sun.

"Okay, I've changed my mind, this region is hella cool again."

Double D rolled his eyes, and jokingly asked, "Could you please decide on one general attitude and stick to it, Eddy?"

"Not on your life, sockhead. Gastly before the first Gym! I had to wait like four before I had the chance to catch one!"

"(Hmph... with the excitement in your eyes, you'd think you'd NEVER seen a Gastly,)" the Ghost Type groaned, not enjoying the sudden attention.

"Unfortunately, he was unable to contribute to Kevin's endeavor against Elder Kōsei," Double D elaborated. "You remember how we went over Pokemon having unique abilities?"

Eddy nodded.

"Well, as it turned out, the man had a Hoothoot, similar to Rolf, and it had the ability known as 'Insomnia', granting it complete immunity to the effects of Hypnosis. While the move landed, Hoothoot just stood there, not so much as nodding off."

"Oh man, that sucks."

"Yeah..." agreed Kevin. "But hey, at least the Elder was pretty rad. And plus, we got a few levels up before you started screaming."

"Oh, you heard that?" Eddy questioned, receiving a deadpan look from Ryuji in response.

"Dude, I'm pretty sure people all the way in Kanto could hear it," the brunette told him. "You were asking about overleveled abominations?"

The tension had finally faded enough that the three trainers could actually consider what just happened again. And Eddy was certainly not going to let that memory go, after all the nonsense that happened.

"Okay, so the Kankers have some new Pokemon, as I'm sure you saw," Eddy began. "It was pretty crazy. But what happened was Jimmy's Weedle only beat one thing, and it jumped up enough levels to become a Kakuna."

Ryuji looked on in shock, but eventually managed to speak up. "Yeah, overleveled sounds about right. Wasn't Jimmy's Weedle like Level 3?"

"Don't remind me," Jimmy interrupted, his Kakuna standing nearby with its gaze on the boy. "I still can't believe it just magically turned into a bigger bug..."

"Oh, yes indeed, crybaby Jimmy," Rolf told him, placing an arm around the younger boy. "Take pride in the fact that you have achieved the first transformation of any of the battling animals in this group!"

While part of him did not want to admit it, there was a certain twinge of pride that came from that fact. Granted, he still wished it would have been anything other than Weedle, but that was beside the point. This was a first for them, and it was Jimmy's to brag about.

"I didn't even know it evolved so quickly," he admitted. "And at least this... Kakuna, isn't as scary as the creepy crawly from before. All this thing does is just sit there."

"Well, of course, Jimmy," Double D told him. "It has entered the pupal stage of its life cycle. Within a few levels it will reach its final form, becoming a Beedrill."

Jimmy paled. "Did you say... Bee?"

"Well, actually Beedrill isn't a bee. If I were a betting man, I'd assume it is based off of the Japanese Giant Hornet, considering its sheer size and coloration."

"GIANT Hornet!?"

"Why, yes. These magnificent specimens from the Vespa family are known to grow to approximately 2 inches in length, and their stings are extremely dangerous, due to injecting far more venom than their smaller cousins. Beedrill would make quite a bit of sense to be inspi-"

Double D never got to finish that thought, as he watched Jimmy faint right before his eyes.

"You idiot!" Sarah yelled, as she rushed over to her unconscious friend. "You know he hates bugs, so why'd you start talkin' about them!?"

"M-my apologies, I suppose I should have considered my audience in that context."

As Sarah went to work trying to wake him up, Ryuji stepped forward, and began to address everyone.

"So, now the Gym Leader is back," he said, placing his hands in his pockets. "Those of you aiming to compete in the Pokemon League, you're going to want to face him, got it?"

Everyone except Nazz nodded, and Kevin spoke up from nearby. "We're gonna have to face that big bird of his, right?"

"Doubtful," Ryuji clarified. "No way would the first Gym Leader of any region be that difficult. No new trainer would ever have a chance of reaching the League with that as their first roadblock."

"Aw!" Ed whined. "I wanna face the might of his giant Pidgeotto!"

"Pidgeot, Ed. Pidgeot."

"Gesundheit."

A light sigh escaped Ryuji's lips, as he turned and headed toward the Gym. "Whatever the case, anyone who wants to go to the Gym can come with me. Most Gym Leaders have seating for those who wanna watch, so you'll have something to do while you wait."

With that said, members of the group approached quickly, leaving only Sarah and the unconscious Jimmy remaining where they were. A fact which shocked the girl as she saw Nazz going to join the others.

"Wait, I thought you didn't wanna battle," Sarah demanded. "So why the heck are you going to a Gym?"

To this, Nazz shrugged. "Mostly, I just wanna cheer on our friends. Don't you?"

"Well, yeah, but in case you haven't noticed, Jimmy's out of commission right now!"

"Oh yeah..." Nazz chuckled nervously. "Okay then. You look after Jimmy for us, all right?"

Sarah scoffed in return. "I was gonna do that anyway."

* * *

The doors to the Gym opened, as everyone entered the small room once again. This time, there was no resistance, as the man who had told them they could not take the challenge earlier was nowhere to be found. Surprising two of the Eds, they saw no trainers, and only a platform that stuck out like a sore thumb, partially due to the bright light shining down on it.

"So, where is that guy?" Eddy asked impatiently. "I came here for a Gym Battle!"

"Well, hello down there!"

Everyone looked up, and sure enough, Hayato was looking down on them. A hole right above the platform granted him access to view the group, and while he looked tiny from where he was, they could easily infer the man was glad to see them.

"What's the big deal, dude?" Kevin asked, making sure to speak loud enough for Hayato to hear. "How are we supposed to battle you all the way up there?"

"I'm glad you asked! You see, all you must do is get on that platform, and you'll be rushed up here."

Double D couldn't help but smile. "Reminds me of that elevator we created."

"So, you want us to fight in the sky, then?" Rolf asked.

"Indeed. One at a time, though. I prefer my Gym Battles to be a private affair."

With that last part said and done, everyone looked to one another, and they were left with a decision to make. Who was going up first? A majority wanted it to be them specifically, but two among them were fine with waiting. As such, Double D and Ryuji both bowed out immediately, leaving it up to the other Eds, Rolf, and Kevin.

But before they could start arguing their cases, the sound of a rising platform gathered everyone's attention, and they saw their friend Ed being rushed up. The bright grin on his face was contrasted by the looks of annoyance from Eddy and Kevin, and the nod of resignation from Rolf.

"Dang it, Ed!" Eddy protested. "I wanted to go first!"

"Unfortunate," commented Ryuji. "But now I guess we've got some time to kill, don't we?"

The brunette began walking to the door, catching the attention of Kevin and Eddy. "Where the heck are you going?" They both asked, followed by Eddy quickly adding on "Jinx."

"I don't know about you, but I'm curious about what's on that route down south," Ryuji told the others. "Who knows, maybe they even have an Electric Type. That'd be one hell of a help if we're facing a Flying Type Gym."

These words sunk in, and made Eddy start following immediately. Kevin, however, was confused, and grabbed the resident brainiac by the shoulder. "Hang on," he asked. "What's he goin' on about Electric Types? They strong against Flying Types or something?"

"Quite strong, actually," explained Double D. "They deal super effective damage with their Electric attacks. In addition, they resist the might of Flying Type moves such as Fly and Sky Attack."

Hearing that, Kevin let out a light chuckle. "Wish someone had told me about that before I faced that old geezer."

He then turned around back to Nazz, and asked "Hey babe, you wanna come with us? We might find something you wanna add to your team."

"Yeah, sure," she answered casually. "I've got nothing better to do."

And with that, the others left the building, leaving Ed to be guided to the top floor. Once he reached it, the light of a cloudless blue sky greeted him. It seemed that the roof had opened up, and now they were fighting in the air.

"Wow! So cool!" Ed exclaimed. "We are going to battle like Rodan and King Ghidorah, and then I shall earn your Badge!"

"Quite, my friend," Hayato answered, a Poke Ball in hand. "Ours is a conflict that shall take place in the home of my beloved bird Pokemon. But before we begin, please tell me your name."

"I am Ed Hill, of Peach Creek!"

"Very well then, Ed! As the leader of Violet City's Gym, I accept your challenge! Go, Hoothoot!"

Throwing his Poke Ball up into the air, out popped a small, brown, owl-like Pokemon, standing on one leg. Ed recognized this Pokemon as one he had seen on Rolf's team, and quickly decided on one to use. His mind immediately went to only one Pokemon, which he'd been so excited about earlier in the day.

"Rocky, I choose you!"

From Ed's Poke Ball burst forth the massive stone snake, Onix. The beast let out a roar and stared down its opponent with sheer shock.

"(Arceus above, you are small!)" Rocky growled with a bit of disappointment. The Hoothoot tilted its head, not in confusion, but rather out of annoyance.

"(Your size will only be a detriment to you,)" it cawed confidently. "(As you shall soon see!)"

"Oh, this is gonna be the coolest!" Ed declared, gleefully watching his Pokemon stare down the Gym Leader's. "I'll be just like Ash!"

"Well, I don't know who this 'Ash' fellow is, but I hope you do him proud. You good to go?"

"Let's do it!"

Hayato grinned. "Very well. Hoothoot, Peck!"

"Rocky, use..."

The arena was dead silent for a bit, as both trainer and Pokemon watched Ed's face go completely blank for a few moments. The boy looked around, and then back to his Onix. "Uh, Rocky? What moves do you know?"

Hayato fell to the ground, utterly flabbergasted that Ed would come here without even knowing the moves of his Pokemon. But there was one who was far more upset, and that was the Pokemon itself.

"(Are you kidding me!?)" Rocky roared. "(You send me out, and you don't even know what I can do!?)"

"Oh, you can use Screech?" Ed questioned, not understanding his Pokemon's anger.

After a few seconds of regaining his composure, Hayato stood back up, and offered a suggestion. "Perhaps you could use your Pokedex? They often have a scan feature for the trainer's Pokemon."

"Ooh... good idea, Hanako."

"Hayato," he corrected.

From within the pocket of his jacket, Ed pulled out his Pokedex, already covered in lint, but otherwise still useable. He opened it, and hit the big app that said 'Scan', looking over the moves of his Onix. Of the results, he recognized three of them, and he was able to decide his first command:

"Rocky! Use Bind!"

The Rock Type nodded, and moved forward with a speed unprecedented for something so large. He powered through the Peck attack delivered by his opponent, and managed to wrap his stone form around the bird. Hayato grimaced, knowing a move like that could only spell trouble. It was clear the initial strike did next to nothing, but moves like Bind were despised for a reason.

 _'For someone so evidently green, he certainly has the right idea,'_ Hayato thought. _'Bringing a Rock Type, and using a trapping move on me. He shall serve as a decent test for this little group of his...'_

* * *

Outside of town, just down in the top portion of Route 32, the other members of the Cul-De-Sac were looking around for Pokemon to catch. Eddy in particular was happy, having finally found a new Pokemon called 'Hoppip', and eagerly trying to add it to his team. It didn't seem too cool to him, but it was new, and that was his main concern.

"Alright, Cyndaquil! Tackle!"

The Fire Type did as commanded, slamming into the puffy pink Pokemon, its green leaves swaying in the air as it slowly floated down to the ground.

"(Easy there,)" the new Pokemon said, splashing around freely. "(I ain't attackin' back, friend.)"

"(Nothing personal,)" Cyndaquil told it. "(But my trainer wants to capture you.)"

"(Capture? Will he help keep me from being blown away?)"

"One more time!" Eddy called out, as Cyndaquil fulfilled his orders. By this point, Hoppip was not showing visible signs of wear, but its stamina was seriously drained. But instead of attacking, the Grass Type continued to splash about, not a care in the world.

Seeing a chance as it descended, Eddy pulled out an empty Poke Ball, and chucked it with purpose. The machine hit its mark, tapping the Hoppip on the forehead, as it was enveloped in the light of capture, and pulled into the ball. Landing on the ground, Eddy watched as it shook once...

Twice...

Thrice...

And dinged that familiar sound, which Eddy had come to associate with success. Picking up his Poke Ball, he immediately scanned the Pokemon, and read its entry in the Pokedex.

_'Hoppip, the Cottonweed Pokemon_

_Grass/Flying Type_

_Its body is so light, it must grip the ground firmly with its feet to keep from being blown away.'_

With a satisfied nod, he then began to scan it for its combat abilities. Everything looked pretty solid, it had an ability called 'Leaf Guard', and a few moves, including one called 'Synthesis' that he'd yet to hear of. But one thing stuck out, as he looked over its move set.

"Wait a sec, it had Absorb?" Eddy questioned. "Then why the heck didn't it attack!?"

Looking around, he was expecting to receive a response, but realized the others were all too busy focused on their own fights. Kevin was currently entangled in combat with an Ekans, while Rolf's Hoothoot got off a high damage Peck against another Hoppip. Eddy sighed, realizing they'd probably be at it for a bit, and so began scouting for something else to try and catch.

There were Pokemon all around, for sure, but as he scanned the area, one thing caught his attention off in the opposite direction. Or rather, one person.

From the gates separating this route from whatever was over that way, a boy exited, carrying a large basket attached to his back, covered by a sheet. His black hair peeked out from under a black and yellow cap, perfectly complemented by his red hoodie and yellow shorts. But what drew his attention most were the boy's eyes.

Light aqua met piercing yellow, as the boy looked to Eddy with a cocky grin.

"And here I thought I was the only trainer out here," he joked. "Well, to what do I owe the honor?"

"Just lookin' for things to catch," Eddy answered. "What's the deal with you?"

"I'm just a guy looking into the Unown. Needed some time to kill after winnin' my badge."

Eddy's eyes widened. "Wait, you got the badge already?"

"That's what I said. Any other questions for me?"

"Well, I am curious about the basket you're lugging around."

He looked back, and shrugged. "Let's just say it's for work."

"Aw come on, you can't just leave me with that!" Eddy protested. "You don't look much older than me, so what kinda work could YOU do?"

"Gee, I dunno, NOT giving myself an aneurysm over overleveled Pokemon?"

"Wait, how did you kn-"

"I know EVERYTHING..."

Stunned silence was Eddy's only response, but only until the boy couldn't keep his laughter back anymore. A hearty chuckle escaped him, as he finally answered "Nah, I'm just yankin' ya. I heard your scream all the way from the ruin site."

Eddy rolled his eyes. "Of course you heard that. Well anyway, what's your name?"

"You can just call me Gold. Everyone does."

Eddy nodded, but then came to remember something important: A flash in his mind of an earlier conversation about this certain person.

"Hey, what's with that look?" Gold asked. "Is the name 'Gold' really that odd?"

"Nah, nah. I just remembered something. There's someone who was looking for you."

Gold raised an eyebrow at that, and Eddy grinned.

"Lemme introduce you. Think you can take time outta your day to meet one of my friends?"

"Sure. I got time ta kill."

"Same. I'm waiting for a friend to finish his Gym battle anyway."

* * *

"Rocky, use Tackle!"

With the command given, Rocky continued his assault on Hayato's Pokemon. Try as the pair might, the Onix's sheer size made it difficult for Hoothoot to break out of the grip. Hayato took a deep breath, considering the circumstance before him. He had a way out, but only if luck was on his side.

"Alright, Hoothoot!" Hayato called out. "Use Hypnosis!"

Without another word, Hoothoot's eyes began to glow, unleashing a small amount of psychic energy directly at Onix. For a few seconds, it seemed to have the attention of the bigger Pokemon, who tried to shake off the status effect. Unfortunately for Ed, he could only watch as Rocky's grip loosened, and he fell to the ground, asleep.

Yet instead of being upset, Ed found this adorable.

"D'aww, look at that!" He exclaimed gleefully. "Rocky fell asleep. Is it time for a nap already?"

"Afraid not. It's merely been put under the effects of Hypnosis. For a little while, it shall sleep, and I shall be able to attack it with no risk to myself."

"Well that's no good. Rocky, wake up!"

Despite the call, Rocky only continued to snore away as Hayato's Hoothoot got off another Peck at its stone body. While the damage was minimal, the lack of a response made Ed more than a little upset.

"Wake up, oh giant mutated snake of stones!"

Once again, the Onix refused to awaken, receiving even more damage as the owl continued its onslaught. A twinge of worry entered the boy's empty mind as he realized that Rocky wasn't waking up, despite his best efforts. Even he could figure out that he'd need something to make sure that he didn't lose the first round.

Thankfully, something crossed his mind.

"It would seem that fortune favors me right now," Hayato called out. "Despite your type advantage, you're little more than a sitting duck right now. Or rather, a sleeping snake."

"Rocky's fine," Ed told him, dropping his backpack and rummaging through it. "He just needs something to help."

"Oh really? And what, pray tell, would that be?"

After a few seconds of digging through his overstuffed bag, Ed managed to find what he was looking for. A potion, given to him by Ryuji, who had told him to use it in a bad situation. This certainly looked bad to him, and as such, now seemed like the right time.

"Alright Rocky! Up and at 'em! Ed has a gift for you!"

"Hoothoot, Peck once more!"

The bird nodded. "(Your defenses are unfathomable... but even the strongest armor can be pierced!)"

As Hoothoot went in for one more attack with its razor sharp beak, the great beast started to rustle a bit. Both Hayato and his Pokemon remained still for a second, intent to see if that would be their last free attack.

Sure enough, Rocky the Onix began to rise up once again, shaking away the last remnants of drowsiness from his body. Looking back, he grumbled "(What did I miss?)"

"Rocky!" Ed answered excitedly. "Come closer, so that I may use this magical mixture on your stone skin!"

"(Magical... mixture?)" Rocky questioned, as he approached. Once he was within range, a slight amount of spray landed on his snout, and a feeling of relief washed over him. That gave him the answer he needed, as the potion brought him back to full health.

"An excellent call," commended Hayato. "But I'm afraid it won't be enough. Are you ready to continue?"

"Let's go, oh master of the flying demons!"

The mood of the battlefield grew, as Hayato could not keep a grin off of his face. This was always his favorite part of the job, getting to meet trainers and see their distinct personalities firsthand. And to start today with such an eager opponent was always refreshing.

"Very well then. Hoothoot, hit it with everything you've got!"

* * *

"(Come on, hit me with everything you've got!)"

Treecko held his stance, watching the opponent's every motion as he waited for the command. The serpentine Pokemon raised itself as high as it could go, attempting to intimidate further, only to earn a chuckle from the Grass Type.

"(You are REALLY bad at this, you know that?)"

"(Sh-shut up!)" Ekans stuttered. "(And what about you? You're just gonna follow the orders of some stupid human?)"

"(It's actually a pretty sweet deal, dude. He feeds me, and I get to fight some strong opponents.)"

"(R... really?)"

"Treecko! Use Pound!"

"(And plus, it gets easier to win when you've got two heads instead of one!)"

With a sudden burst of speed, Treecko slammed his fist directly into the face of his opponent, knocking the poor snake back, and nearly leaving it on the floor. Behind him, Kevin grinned, and pulled out a Poke Ball.

"Alright, Kev, you got this," He told himself, trying to be his own hype man. "Poke Ball, go!"

The ball flew toward the Poison Type, and landed directly in between its eyes. The capture energy enveloped it, and the ball fell to the ground, before shaking three times, and dinging in success.

"Alright!" Kevin exclaimed, picking up his new teammate. "Now I got another new battler!"

"Great work, Kev!" Nazz cheered on, her Popplio barking next to her. "You did it, dude."

A smile graced the boy's face, as his girlfriend continued to cheer him on. Even though she wasn't into it herself, he was glad she still supported them in their endeavors. And to make things better, now he'd gotten himself something extra, and still had some Poke Balls left over to try and catch her something.

"I'm glad I got another good one," Kevin said, scanning the ball with his Pokedex. "From what Ryuji told me, it's got a real strong ability called 'Intimidate'."

"Oh really?" Nazz questioned. "What's that one do?"

Before the words could escape his mouth, a new voice entered the fray. One unfamiliar to the couple, and with this to say:

"Intimidate. It lowers the Physical Attack of a 'Mon by one stage. Pretty nifty if you're goin' up against a real heavy hitter."

Looking over, both trainers found the source of this new voice. A trainer with a basket attached to his back, approaching the group with Eddy, and looking pretty proud of himself for that answer he just gave. Unfortunately, all he got in response was a look of confusion.

"Yo, Dorky, who's this?" Kevin asked.

"Well, ya see, this is the guy we were supposed to keep an eye out for," explained Eddy. "Everyone, meet Gold, the spaz that Professor Elm warned us about."

"Oh, you know Professor Elm?" Gold asked, only to receive a nod from everyone in the vicinity. "Y'know, ya could have opened with that."

"And YOU could have opened with the fact that you're Gold," Eddy retorted. "Now then, these are my buds, Kevin, Nazz, Rolf, Double D, and-"

"Who's that one?"

Gold caught everyone's attention with his question, as they followed his finger, to see he was pointing at their guide. The brunette in question finally realized that all eyes were on him, and was more than a little confused.

"What?" He asked.

"Your name," Gold told him. "What is it?"

"Ryuji Kazama?"

For a moment, Gold said nothing, merely looking at Ryuji with a strange smille.

"Ryuji Kazama, huh?" He said, letting the name roll over his tongue for a second. "R.K, then?"

"R.K?" Questioned Rolf. "What are you going on about, gangly one named after metal?"

"Oh, nothin'. Sometimes my mind just makes mental notes of people's initials. Don't ask why, it's just how my brain works."

A collective shrug was the group's answer to that, and Gold continued to smile to himself.

 _'Seems this group's got some colorful characters,'_ he thought. _'Might be good to keep an eye on them.'_

"So then," Double D interrupted. "As Eddy hinted at, we have a message to deliver for you, directly from Professor Elm. He told us that he would like you to call him, and let him know about your current state of affairs."

All confidence faded from his face, and Gold smacked his forehead as soon as he heard this. "Knew I'd forgotten something," he said. "It's been bugging me since I left, and I couldn't figure out what it was. Sure hope Mom isn't too upset."

"I know my mother would personally be livid. That's why I left a note."

"Wait, WHAT!?"

Double D looked over, to see Eddy looking at him with a mix of horror and fury that he'd rarely seen. Confusion filled the former's mind, as he went to ask the latter what was wrong. But before he could, he got his answer.

"WHY THE HECK WOULD YOU LEAVE A NOTE!?" Exclaimed Eddy. "What were you thinking!?"

"Wait, do you mean to tell me, you did not alert your parents that you would be going somewhere!?" Double D asked incredulously. "Eddy, how irresponsible of you! What if your parents are overcome with worry right now?"

"And what if YOUR parents get OUR parents to come and take us home, huh!? HUH!?"

"Oh spare me, Eddy. They won't know the location of the cave, as I was unaware of it while composing the note. I just wanted to grant them some peace of mind."

And with those words stated, nothing more needed to be said. Eddy finally relented, though he took his sweet time before backing down.

"Listen, as riveting a conversation as this has been," Gold interjected, "I'm gonna go to the Pokemon Center. Anyone want to join?"

"Yeah, sure," Ryuji answered.

"Certainly," was Double D's response.

"Meh, I got nothin' better to do." Eddy said.

"As they say, Rolf is 'in'."

Expecting an answer from the others, Gold looked over to where Kevin and Nazz were. He saw the boy pulling out a Poke Ball at the direction of a small, fluffy creature, covered in light yellow wool. They must have switched where their attention lay during that little spat, he concluded, and decided to watch until the end.

Ryuji pulled out his Pokedex, quickly scanning this new creature, and then showed the entry to his party. This is what it read:

_'Mareep, the Wool Pokemon_

_Electric Type_

_Its fluffy wool rubs together, generating a static charge. Touching a Mareep barehanded will result in an electric shock.'_

"Whoa, sweet," Eddy thought aloud. "An Electric Type would be really good against the Gym."

"Definitely, though I'm not so sure about that one," said Gold. "Looks like it's got a temper problem."

Eddy looked forward and saw exactly what the new guy was talking about. The expression on that Mareep was meaner than any Pokemon he'd seen so far. It even seemed angrier than Ed's Rattata was when they met it. It bleated belligerently, and unleashed a stream of electric energy directly at Kevin. Before the boy could react, he was screaming as the shot hit him head on. The party was surprised by this action, and doubly shocked by Ryuji rushing over.

"Kevin!" Nazz wailed, upon seeing him fall to the ground after that attack. Double D wasted no time checking his condition, while Ryuji got in the way of the sheep Pokemon.

"Make sure he's okay!" he demanded. "This thing has got to go!"

"He's still conscious," Double D told them, helping the redhead sit upright again. "But how do we get rid of a Pokemon willing to attack trainers?"

"I'll handle it."

"(Oh, you think you can stop me, you stupid human!?)" The Mareep said angrily. "(I'll show you why you don't disturb my nap!)"

Once again, a stream of electricity rushed from where Mareep stood, and hit Ryuji right in the chest. Everyone watched in horror, expecting the second verse to go the same as the first. But much to the shock of everyone involved, Ryuji did not falter. In fact, it looked like the attack was doing nothing to stop him.

None were more shocked by this than Mareep itself. "(But how!?)" He questioned incredulously. "(I'm the strongest Mareep out here!)"

As the attack dissipated, Ryuji looked forward at the little Electric Type, who visibly shrunk a little at the sight of his piercing red eyes.

"GET OUTTA HERE! GO ON, SCRAM!" He yelled, walking toward the Mareep angrily. Now that it knew 'fight' wasn't going to work, it immediately went into 'flight', and ran off with all the speed its little legs could muster. Once it was out of range, Ryuji let out an annoyed groan.

"Is everyone all right?" He asked as he looked back, his gaze focused on Kevin.

"Yeah, we're fine," Double D told him. "All thanks to you."

"Yeah... but also, what the heck, man!?" Kevin asked as he got back to his feet. "How come that shock didn't hurt you?"

"It did!" Ryuji protested. "It's just... look, I have a pet Pikachu back home, I'm used to these kind of shocks. Lucky thing too, that must have been a pretty tough Mareep if it knew Thunder Shock."

"Yeah..." Kevin looked to Nazz. "Sorry babe. Looks like I couldn't get you th-"

His thoughts were interrupted as Nazz hugged him as hard as she could manage. "Don't worry about it, dude," she told him. "I'm just glad you're okay. Let's get you to the Center, I think that's enough battles for now."

No one had any objections, and the party began to make their way back to town. Ryuji lagged a little behind, taking slow, easy steps as they all marched on.

"So, pet Pikachu, huh?"

He looked back, and saw Gold standing there, a curious expression plastered on the younger boy's face.

"Yeah," Ryuji told him. "They're a pretty common pet out in Kanto."

"I see. Well, I wouldn't know. I was born and raised right here in Johto."

"Fair enough. Now are you coming or what?"

Gold nodded, and both trainers headed on their way. It was complete silence on the way back, as neither one really had anything more to say, and both had things to think about. The thoughts in the mind of the Johto boy were enough to put a smile on his face, as everything about what just happened crystalized.

 _'Okay, I think I see what's going on here,'_ he mused. _'And it looks like one hell of an opportunity.'_

He looked over to where the rest of the group was, and nodded to himself.

_'I'll have to ask them if they've got room for one more.'_

* * *

A red light surrounded the incapacitated Hoothoot, as the Gym Leader recalled his first Pokemon. On the other side of the arena, Ed and Rocky celebrated their victory, as the experience strengthened the Onix immensely. With a deep breath, Hayato composed himself once more, and switched out Poke Balls, waiting for his opponent to be ready to continue.

"You did great, Rocky!" Ed said gleefully, petting the big Rock Type on its head. "That demon owl was no match for your grip!"

"(You got that right,)" he replied, finally seeming to acclimate to Ed a bit more. "(It's a good thing that second Hypnosis missed, otherwise we would have been in big trouble.)"

Not a word of that was understood by his trainer, but Rocky was happy as he felt his strength enhance greatly, and a surge of might went through him. He felt a new technique able to be accessed from within. The problem, was that he'd have to get rid of an old technique to get it. If only he could tell Ed about it...

*BEEP BEEP!*

From within Ed's jacket pocket, he felt his Pokedex vibrate, and pulled it out to see what the device wanted. On the screen, he saw 5 different moves listed. Four of them he had seen before - Tackle, Bind, Harden, and Mud Sport, but there was a new one that hadn't been there before.

"Rocky, are you trying to learn a move called Curse?"

The Onix in question looked to his trainer questioningly, until he noticed the device in his hands. Had that machine told him what he was trying to decide on?

"Ooh! This move does what Harden does, but better!" Ed declared, practically jumping up and down at the idea. "You should learn it! We can get rid of Harden for it!"

Rocky nodded, feeling the power of 'Harden' leave him, in exchange for the might of 'Curse'. As he was doing this, he felt another surge, and heard another beep from the Pokedex.

"Rock Throw too!? That's so cool! Get rid of Mud Sport!"

"(Will do.)"

Once this was all said and done, Ed looked over to where Hayato was. "Mr. Bird Master! Ed's Pokemon got a new move!"

"So I heard," Hayato answered, amused by the boy's excitement. "But against my next Pokemon, they will only do so much. This is Pidgeotto, given to me by my father. And we will not cave, even to your might. Are you ready?"

"Excited response!"

"I'll take that as a yes. Go, Pidgeotto!"

From the Poke Ball burst forward Hayato's ace Pokemon. A large avian creature, spreading its cream colored wings, as its small red mane and colorful tail feathers fluttered in the wind. The raptor let out a powerful cry as it stared down the giant before it, and stood ready for combat.

"(Your defenses shall falter before me, you big oaf,)" it cawed. "(I was strong enough to evolve early.)"

"(Well, we'll see where that gets ya, you overgrown hatchling!)"

Both Trainers nodded, and Hayato offered the first move to Ed. He was expecting an immediate use of that new Rock Throw, which had him tense. Even if Onix wasn't exactly an offensive powerhouse, a STAB Rock Type move would hurt.

Fortunately, that was not the move Ed decided on. Unfortunately...

"Rocky! Cast the Curse of the Gorgon Queen upon yourself!"

An easy inference for Ed's move choice, as he watched his opponent get covered in a blue aura, followed by a red one only a split second later. One stat lowered, and two stats raised, making that beast even more dangerous. Hayato never took his eyes off it, as he made the call.

"Use Gust!"

With a flap of its mighty wings, Pidgeotto send forth a burst of wind, slamming into Rocky's stone skin with some impressive ferocity. The effect of Curse did nothing, but Ed had a retort to that attack.

"Use Rock Throw!"

"Dodge it!"

Try as it might, the poor bird was unable to get out of the way in time, as Onix flung a newly formed stone at its wing. This nearly knocked it out of flight right then and there, but Pidgeotto managed to keep its composure long enough to remain aloft.

"(Not bad, for an unevolved Pokemon,)" it commended. "(But I have tricks up my own wings as well!)"

"Pidgeotto! Use Roost!"

"Roost?" Ed questioned, only to receive a knowing grin from his opponent.

Pidgeotto wasted no time coming to the ground, as a refreshing aura covered its body for a split second, healing it back up to full. For a little bit, that Rock Throw would not be as strong, and he had a bit to think. Or so he thought.

"Bind, Rocky!"

Not a second after hearing that, the stone snake rushed forward, attempting to do to Pidgeotto what he did to Hoothoot. Despite the speed loss, his opponent would need a second to get back into flight, and that gave Rocky all the opportunity he needed. He just barely managed to get Pidgeotto's lower half caught in his powerful coil. All it could do is caw futilely, as it struggled to break free.

And what was Hayato doing?

Why, he was smiling.

 _'Okay, I'm impressed,'_ he thought as he watched. _'This kid's a natural! He waited until Pidgeotto couldn't get away, and then struck. This bodes well, if I do say s-'_

Pidgeotto's protests broke him from his inner monologue, as he saw the move doing some hefty damage. He needed to break free, but unfortunately, he did not have Hypnosis this time around. The only way out was to break that Onix.

"Use Gust again!" Hayato called out. "Loosen its grip by force!"

"(Bow before my might!)" Pidgeotto declared, flapping its wings with all the vigor it could muster. The attack slammed into Rocky, and it was clear that it did more damage than the previous one. Despite that, the bigger 'Mon kept his grip as solid as ever.

"Rock Throw, one more time!"

This time, there was nowhere for Pidgeotto to run, and the Rock Type attack hit dead on, dealing a massive amount of damage. Both trainer and Pokemon were left feeling very uneasy about their odds. Despite that, Hayato would not relent, even as the Bind cut into Pidgeotto's health further. With a clenched fist and a conviction like steel, he called out once more to his ace, determined to win out here.

"Come on Pidgeotto! Once more! Show him the might of Bird Pokemon! Gust once more, with your heart and soul!"

Whether it was its trainers speech or a last desperate burst of strength, Pidgeotto's wings flapped even harder, this time sending far more energy into the attack than before. It was too much for Rocky the Onix to handle, as a critical Gust slammed directly into his face, nearly knocking him down onto his trainer.

And naturally, this loosened his grip enough for the raptor to break free. Returning to the sky above, it watched in triumph as Rocky attempted one last Rock Throw. This time, however, Pidgeotto only had to readjust its position slightly, as the stone flew past it.

"Not bad, Ed, but not good enough," taunted Hayato. "Now, let's end this! Go Pidgeotto! One last Gust!"

"(You put up a good fight...)" it said, rushing in to deliver the finishing blow. "(But I'm afraid you're not good enough!)"

Despite Rocky's best efforts, this last attack was the too much for him to handle. Falling backward, he was completely drained of stamina, and unable to continue.

"Rocky! Return!"

As his newest Pokemon was recalled, Ed grabbed his two remaining Poke Balls, and looked in between them for a few seconds, as if trying to decide which one he should send out. And then, something happened. Perhaps the stars aligned, or perhaps the fates had decided to cause a miracle. But whatever the reason, a rare moment occurred.

"Wait, my brain is working!"

Hayato was unsure how to respond to that, and before he knew it, Ed unleashed his Rattata. The rodent glared daggers at Hayato's Pokemon, baring its oversized teeth in a threatening manner.

"(You have guts to take down my new teammate!)" he squeaked angrily. "(I'm going to KICK YOUR TAIL!)"

"(I defy you to try,)" Pidgeotto countered. "(After all, you seem to be in a different weight class.)"

Neither side would look away from the other, as both Pokemon were ready to rip into each other. Hayato looked to Ed, who seemed very confident, and met his gaze.

"Seems you're ready to continue," he said. "Then shall we proceed, Ed?"

"Let's go! Me and Rattata will end this!"

"Is that a fact? Very well then. Pidgeotto, Roo-"

"QUICK ATTACK!"

Hayato never got to finish his command. Before his very eyes, Rattata vanished, and a split second later, he'd slammed into the gut of the Flying Type. And surprisingly enough, the damage was more than enough to knock it out of flight. Everyone watched as Pidgeotto tried to get back to it's feet, struggling to keep itself standing and fighting.

"(Th-this can't be...)" it reasoned. "(There's no way I was this low.)"

"(Guess you've gotten lazy since evolving,)" Rattata countered, confidently crossing his little arms. "(Maybe you should remember it's the small ones that you've gotta worry about.)"

"(Grr... annoying little... rat...)"

Despite its best efforts, Pidgeotto fell to the ground, completely exhausted of fighting energy, and leaving Hayato with no Pokemon to fight with. A stark silence enveloped the arena for a moment, before a sigh escaped the Gym Leader's lips.

"Took the wind right out of my sails," he said with a smile. "I'm afraid that's where this battle ends. You have won, Ed Hill of Peach Creek."

The boy could not contain his excitement as he rushed over to hug his Rattata, laughing triumphantly as he did. This was the biggest victory of his entire journey so far, and he'd managed to do it on the first try. Nothing would ruin his good mood now.

"You did very well," Hayato told him, as he approached, pulling 2 things out of his pocket. "It was a rough fight, but in the end, STAB Rock moves are still my archenemy."

Ed looked at him, confused. "But Rock Throw didn't stab. It slammed into your bird."

It was a losing battle to suppress his chuckle at that. "No no, Ed. STAB. It stands for 'Same Type Attack Bonus'. As in, your Pokemon uses moves that are the same Type as it better than moves that are a different type."

"Oh... but does it actually stab?"

"... You're the salt of the earth, Ed. You've earned these, both the Zephyr Badge, and the TM19, for Roost."

Ed eagerly took the Zephyr Badge, and pinned it to the inside of his jacket. "Now I really am like Ash! Thank you for the battle, Hinata."

"Hayato," he corrected. "And you're welcome. Tell your friends that they can challenge me whenever they're ready. I'll be here until 8:00 tonight."

"I'll do that. I can't wait to show the others that I won!"

And with nothing more to say, the younger boy went over to the elevator, and left the scene. Hayato was alone again, and began working to heal his team once more. Going over to the healing machine he had placed behind the arena, his mind wandered to the other opponents. He could only imagine what their teams might be, and what strange elements they could bring to the table.

 _'Judging by the fact that they're with a group, I can assume they're all from this 'Peach Creek' place,'_ he considered. _'That would mean they might be bringing Pokemon from outside of Johto into the fray. Wouldn't that be an interesting experience?'_

He looked up to the sky, and took in a deep breath, enjoying a good dose of post-battle euphoria.

"If they're anything like Ed, then I'm going to have one heck of a day ahead of me."

* * *

"Will do, Professor Elm... Uh huh, uh huh... oh, put Double D on the phone? Alright."

The cool air of the Pokemon Center was a welcome change from the open field they'd been in only a few minutes before. Among the group, there were talks of what had happened, all the while Gold talked over in the corner. But among the chatter, no one noticed as the boy came over, and handed Double D the phone.

"It's for you," he explained. "The professor wants to talk your ear off."

With a nod, Double D put Gold's Pokedex up to his ear, and answered. "Double D speaking."

 _"Ah, good to hear from you,"_ Elm told him happily. _"And I see you ran into Gold. That's rather fortunate. I'd been expecting him to be on his way to Goldenrod by now."_

"Well, thankfully he made it rather easy and came to us. Now then, did you need something from me?"

_"Ah, yes, thank you! We made some discoveries about the egg! The details are... well, I can't say anything, but I would like for you to carry that egg for me."_

Shock was Double D's immediate response. "Wait, me? I mean, I'd be honored, but why me in particular?"

_"Call it intuition, but I think you would be a good candidate for ensuring its safety. I would ask Gold, but... well, he's got enough on his mind right now."_

Double D nodded. "Very well. I shall guard it with my very life."

_"Excellent. My assistant shall be heading out to Violet City right now. He'll meet you guys at the Pokemon Center in about 30 minutes."_

"Duly noted."

_"Alright, well, I have to go. Thanks for everything. Bye!"_

And with that, the phone call was ended, and Double D handed it back to Gold.

"So, what did the Professor want?" Eddy asked.

"Oh, well, he wants me to carry around the Egg that we brought him," Double D told everyone.

"Choice," Kevin commented. "What do you think it'll hatch into?"

"I could not even begin to theorize on such a thing. Though I'm hoping it's a species that I've never seen before."

"Yeah, that's pretty fair," said Gold, butting into the conversation. "I'd like to take a look at this egg myself."

"Well, I'll be sure to let you see it," Double D told him. "At least before you run off on your own again."

Gold grinned. "Funny you should bring that up. There's something I wanted to ask you guys."

The party looked to him with various degrees of curiosity. He sat down at the table, placing the basket at his side.

"So, I'll cut straight to the chase. Would you guys mind if we grouped up for a while?"

"Grouped up...?" Ryuji asked. "You mean you wanna join us on our adventure?"

To this, he shrugged. "I mean, why not? You guys seem pretty cool. And plus, more training partners means more chances to get stronger, right?"

"He makes a good point," Kevin told them. "Plus, I'm kinda curious about how strong he is now."

"As much as it pains me to agree with Shovelchin..." Eddy joked, "I'm on board too."

"Rolf would like to test the mettle of the one named after a metal."

Nazz shrugged. "If everyone else is cool with it, then so am I."

Jimmy nodded. "It's okay... as long as he doesn't have any Bug Types."

Sarah and Ryuji both nodded along, the latter not opposed to the idea, and the former severely outnumbered. And with that, it was basically decided, as everyone waited for their final member of the team to get there.

As it turned out, they did not have to wait long. Ed returned to the Pokemon Center less than 10 seconds afterward, still holding his Rattata in his arms.

"Hey guys!" He called out, opening his jacket to show off his new badge. "Look! I beat the Gym Leader!"

"Way to go, Lumpy!" Congratulated Eddy, getting up to get a better look at the badge. "Looks pretty good on ya."

Double D chimed in as well, taking in the gleam of the Zephyr Badge. "I must agree, Ed. You wear it very well. And as an added bonus, now your traded Onix should listen to you at higher Levels now."

"Oh yeah, forgot about that. You didn't get that big lug disobeying you, did ya?"

Ed shook his head.

"Well, that's good," Eddy told him, patting him on the back. "Now come over here and meet our new group member."

This statement alone sent Ed's excitement into the stratosphere. "NEW FRIEND!?"

"New friend, big guy. Now come on, he ain't gettin' any newer!"

The conversation went on for a good 15 minutes after that, as Ed told the epic - albeit exaggerated - tale of his battle against Hayato. Any amount of negativity left the group in this time, their friendly chatter helped to put their minds back at ease. By the time they were ready to leave, all the trainers were ready and raring to go, with only one destination in mind:

The Violet City Gym, to face Hayato themselves.

* * *

**PARTY DATA:**

**EDDY**

Cyndaquil

\- Male

\- Level 9

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Quiet Nature

\- Alert to Sounds

\- Moves: Tackle, Leer, Smokescreen

Krabby

\- Male

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Hyper Cutter

\- Jolly Nature

\- Likes to Fight

\- Moves: Vise Grip, Bubble, Mud Sport

Spearow

\- Female

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Keen Eye

\- Impish Nature

\- Scatters Things Often

\- Moves: Growl, Peck, Leer

Hoppip

\- Female

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Leaf Guard

\- Lax Nature

\- Highly Curious

\- Moves: Absorb, Splash, Synthesis, Tail Whip

**ED**

Totodile

\- Male

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Torrent

\- Jolly Nature

\- Somewhat of a Clown

\- Moves: Scratch, Leer, Water Gun, Rage

Rattata

\- Male

\- Level 9

\- Ability: Guts

\- Adamant Nature

\- A Little Quick Tempered

\- Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Quick Attack, Focus Energy

Rocky (Onix)

\- Male

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Sturdy

\- Hasty Nature

\- Sturdy Body

\- Moves: Tackle, Curse, Bind, Rock Throw

**DOUBLE D**

Chikorita

\- Female

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Gentle Nature

\- Good Endurance

\- Moves: Tackle, Growl, Razor Leaf

Pidgey

\- Male

\- Level 9

\- Ability: Keen Eye

\- Sassy Nature

\- Scatters things Often

\- Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust

**KEVIN**

Treecko

\- Male

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Lax Nature

\- Thoroughly Cunning

\- Moves: Pound, Leer, Absorb, Quick Attack

Spinarak

\- Female

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Insomnia

\- Naïve Nature

\- Alert to Sounds

\- Moves: Constrict, Poison Sting, String Shot, Absorb

Gastly

\- Male

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Levitate

\- Serious Nature

\- Likes to Relax

\- Moves: Hypnosis, Lick, Spite

Ekans

\- Female

\- Level 4

\- Ability: Intimidate

\- Bashful Nature

\- Quick Tempered

\- Moves: Leer, Wrap, Poison Sting

**ROLF**

Chimchar

\- Female

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Naughty Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Scratch, Leer, Ember

Geodude

\- Male

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Sturdy

\- Careful Nature

\- Loves to Eat

\- Moves: Tackle, Defense Curl, Mud Sport, Rock Polish

Poliwag

\- Male

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Water Absorb

\- Brave Nature

\- Good Endurance

\- Moves: Water Sport, Water Gun, Hypnosis

Hoothoot

\- Female

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Keen Eye

\- Gentle Nature

\- Often lost in Thought

\- Moves: Foresight, Growl, Tackle, Hypnosis

**NAZZ**

Popplio

\- Female

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Torrent

\- Calm Nature

\- Often Lost in Thought

\- Moves: Pound, Growl, Water Gun

Sentret

\- Male

\- Level 2

\- Ability: Run Away

\- Bashful Nature

\- Likes to Fight

\- Moves: Scratch, Foresight

Caterpie

\- Female

\- Level 4

\- Ability: Shield Dust

\- Calm Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Tackle, String Shot

**SARAH**

Rowlet

\- Male

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Brave Nature

\- Likes to Relax

\- Moves: Tackle, Growl, Leafage, Peck

**JIMMY**

Litten

\- Male

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Hardy Nature

\- Quick Tempered

\- Moves: Scratch, Growl, Ember

Horsea

\- Female

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Swift Swim

\- Docile Nature

\- Study Body

\- Moves: Bubble, Smokescreen

Kakuna

\- Male

\- Level 7

\- Ability: Shed Skin

\- Lonely Nature

\- Likes to Fight

\- Moves: Poison Sting, String Shot, Harden

**RYUJI**

Fennekin

\- Female

\- Level 11

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Mild Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Scratch, Tail Whip, Ember, Howl

Poliwag

\- Female

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Water Absorb

\- Docile Nature

\- Sturdy Body

\- Moves: Water Sport, Water Gun, Hypnosis

Bellsprout

\- Male

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Chlorophyll

\- Hasty Nature

\- Loves to Eat

\- Moves: Vine Whip


	7. A Wonderful Union

**So, I have both technically met my deadline and also not met my deadline. This chapter is done within a months time, but I was unable to post it by the end of January. Oh well, have to start somewhere on the road to consistent uploads.**

**So, as for this month, I'm very happy with how far we've come. We're approaching 1,000 views, and we've got 20 reviews, both of which are something to be proud of in my book. And plus, soon we'll be in the double digits in terms of chapters, which has me very excited. I can't wait to see how everyone feels about this chapter.**

**Speaking of this chapter, I'll say right now that this chapter is a bit all over the place. I'm trying to give a little bit of spotlight to the OCs in the latter half, since I thought it'd be fun, and I'm doing my best to establish that this is a real place, and that the people in it have their own interesting stuff to talk about. Personally, I think I did a good job, and I hope you guys enjoy where I went with it.**

**Welcome, to Chapter 7 of Pokemon EDventures: Johto Journeys!**

* * *

The platform rose, for the eighth time that day, as Hayato watched eagerly to see which opponent he would be facing now. Every manner of foe had been thrown his way, from Eddy and his aggressive use of Spearow, to Double D and his excessive stock of healing items, to even Rolf keeping him guessing with every round. All different, yet all worthy opponents in their own way, and all successful in gaining their badge.

From what he had been told by his previous opponent, there was one left. His mind raced as he considered what they might bring to the table...

"IT'S ABOUT TIME!"

The moment that shrill, grating voice was heard, the Gym Leader grimaced. Looking over, he saw a girl, perhaps the same age as his previous opponent Jimmy, with a pink shirt and an angry look.

"Welcome," he said simply. "You stand where your friends stood, as my newest oppon-"

"Can we just get on with it!?" She snapped. "I've been waiting for hours!"

"... Very well. But before we begin, I would like to know your name."

"Sarah! Now let's go!"

Hayato sighed. Ornery challengers were nothing new, but this one was certainly a step above the rest.

"Hoothoot! Let us go!"

"Come on, Rowlet! Let's show him!"

The two released their bird Pokemon onto the battlefield, both owls looking to each other.

"(Ah! Another so handsome as myself!)" Rowlet joked. "(Let this battle be the best you've ever had!)"

"(Well, you seem quite nice,)" cawed Hoothoot. "(Very well! Begin!)"

"I'll allow you the first move," Hayato declared. "Show me what you are made of."

"You'll regret that, bub," Sarah told him, pointing forward. "Alright Rowlet, use Tackle!"

"Brace for impact, Hoothoot!"

Both acted out their commands with great haste, as Rowlet slammed into Hoothoot. The attack nearly knocked it off its feet, but it managed to keep a steady stance, and now had Rowlet right where Hayato wanted him.

"Hypnosis!"

With its natural speed, Hoothoot got off the command before Sarah could even utter one of her own. Rowlet would not be able to avoid the powerful rays from this close up, and was forced to feel their effects firsthand.

Drowsiness overtook the Grass Type, who fell to the ground sleepily, much to the chagrin of his trainer.

"HEY! WAKE UP!" Sarah yelled. "This is no time to take a nap, you idiot!"

"Hoothoot, continue your assault while it sleeps."

Sarah gritted her teeth as he said that, and watched as Hoothoot continued to lay into her only Pokemon while it was unable to respond.

"Come ON!" She called out angrily. "Stop sleeping and fight!"

As the third peck came in, Rowlet woke up, and jumped back out of the way of the attack. He looked to his opponent with the closest thing he had to a smile.

"(Nice try,)" he cawed. "(But you won't beat me so easily!)"

"(You say that, but your foliage is not offering much protection.)"

"Use Peck right back!" Sarah demanded, to which Rowlet was more than happy to deliver upon. With a swift motion, he closed the distance between them, and pierced through Hoothoot's feathers to deliver a strong attack of his own. The Gym Leader's Pokemon jumped back at this strike, but was not too worried overall.

"So this is to turn into a war of attrition, is it? Very well then. One more Peck!"

"Oh no you don't! Rowlet, hit him right back!"

Despite Hoothoot's best efforts to end this, it wasn't able to muster up the force needed to take down Rowlet. The damage was impressive, but unfortunately, the Grass Type managed to power through. He delivered a STAB Peck attack right to its side, and try as it might to keep standing, the damage was simply too much.

"(I leave the rest to my partner...)" it said, before being returned to the Poke Ball. "(Finish it, Pidgeotto.)"

Not one second after returning his first Pokemon, Hayato unleashed his second. Pidgeotto entered the battlefield, and for the tenth time today, let out a mighty caw. Looking down to Rowlet, it's eyes narrowed.

"The battle shall continue," Hayato told Sarah. "Pidgeotto is the last bastion between you and the Zephyr Badge."

"I'll beat that stupid bird!" She told him defiantly. "Rowlet, use Peck!"

"Pidgeotto! Gust!"

From within the sky, Rowlet could only watch, as Pidgeotto flapped its wings with furious force. It was pretty clear to him that he would not reach in time to deliver an attack, and a Gust from that thing would hurt hard. Not enough to kill or anything like that, but it'd definitely throw him out of the fight...

But, not one to disappoint, the Grass Type flapped its wings and rose up toward where his opponent was. The attack came forward at blistering speeds, and he tried his best to dodge, but that just was not in the cards for him. The attack clipped his wings, and he fell from flight, landing on the floor of the Gym.

He could not stand up. It was simply too much for him to take.

And that just didn't sit right with Sarah.

"Get UP!" she demanded. "We're not done yet!"

"I'm afraid your Rowlet is out of steam, so to speak," Hayato told her. "You should send out your next Pokemon, and give it time to rest."

Sarah dared not answer. In truth, she still had yet to catch anything, and had only used her Rowlet for combat. But now he was defeated, and she had nothing else to turn to...

"Was Rowlet your only Pokemon?" Hayato questioned, causing Sarah to grit her teeth in anger.

"SHUT UP!" she yelled, calling Rowlet back. "You think you're soooo tough because you've got two Pokemon! Well, I'll be back, and then you'll get yours!"

"I'll be available to battle again in thirty minutes. For now, take a bit of a break. You've earned it."

"Don't patronize me!"

A heavy sigh escaped Hayato, as he watched the girl go down the platform. Sarah was, without a doubt, the single most disrespectful trainer he had ever seen. She was even more disrespectful than that 'Silver' boy from yesterday, though nowhere near as mean to her Pokemon.

Closing the roof of the Gym for a bit, he took Hoothoot's ball and placed it within the healing tray. He had no doubt she'd be back in thirty minutes on the dot, and he'd need to be prepared for when she did.

"This is only the first step on her journey," he thought aloud. "If she grows even a little from this experience, then I'll have done my job. But for now... I wait."

* * *

Back at the Pokemon Center, the party were eating a small supper, enjoying their individual meals, as the Pokemon were convened around their individual bowls. Chikorita had been regaling them with the tale of Double D's battle, and even though their own experiences were still fresh in their minds, she was quite the storyteller.

"(I could hear the blast from even within my own ball, and I knew Pidgey would be down and out,)" she told the various Pokemon. "(And so, Double D was left with me as his final Pokemon, but I could tell that Pidgey did a number on that Pidgeotto. I knew I'd probably only have one shot at this, and so I fired off Razor Leaf right as it hammered away at my defenses with Gust...)"

"(And then it killed you!?)" Totodile asked, on the edge of his seat.

"(Better! The Razor Leaf landed perfectly, piercing Pidgeotto's abdomen! A critical hit if I'd ever seen one! Down he fell like a mighty oak, and we had won!)"

"(Gee willikers,)" Horsea said in awe, as she grabbed some food with her mouth. "(It sounds like you got incredibly lucky there.)"

"(Oh, for sure,)" admitted Chikorita. "(But I can't discount all the work my teammate did. And plus, my darling was the one who put it all into action.)"

"(Your 'darling'?)" asked Cyndaquil.

Without another word, Chikorita looked over to Double D, who was smiling and laughing with his friends as they ate. Her smile was quite warm, more than enough to confirm to every 'Mon there what was going on. No one commented initially, not sure what to say or how to say it.

Then, Gastly finally decided to put something into words.

"(It sounds like puppy love to me,)" he told her. "(But hey, I suppose if it helps you win battles...)"

Chikorita took great offense to that. "(What, do you doubt my love for him?)"

"(No, I doubt HIS love for you. Sure, he cares about you, but only as a Pokemon. You're... in two different egg groups, so to speak.)"

All she offered was a simple 'hmph', before going back to eating.

Meanwhile, back with the trainers, the conversations were alive and well. They didn't even notice that Sarah had made it back, until she had sat back down, and practically slammed her head against the table.

"Whoa, easy," Gold told her. "I'm guessing it went bad?"

"SHUT UP!" she yelled back, immediately grabbing the attention of everyone in the Pokemon Center from the sheer volume. No one said anything, but before she could continue ranting, a bowl of rice and meat was placed before her.

"Well here," said Ryuji. "You can tell us all about it after some food."

Sarah was more than a little shocked. Some part of her was too used to people reeling back whenever she raised her voice, and it still hadn't completely clicked that Ryuji wasn't afraid of her. It was a new feeling, though not exactly a bad one...

"Well, what is this stuff?"

"Just a basic beef bowl with some onion and mushroom. Nothing too wild, but gives you lots of energy."

Sarah nodded, and grabbed a fork (the group had requested them, due to a lack of experience with chopsticks). It wasn't long before the bowl was emptied, and she immediately started venting about what happened.

"Sounds like there's a pretty simple solution there," Eddy told her. "Catch yourself another Pokemon. Ya can't rely on your starter forever. Believe me, I tried."

Gold raised an eyebrow at that statement, but let it slide. "Considering you're starting with a Grass Type, I think you'd do good to get a Water or Electric Type. I'll help you look for one."

"Oh... uh, thanks."

"Don't mention it."

* * *

Route 32 was their route of choice, on which Gold did his best to show her the ropes of catching Pokemon. She'd never done it herself, but the experience was certainly helpful, especially since it ended with her getting a new teammate this time.

Everyone waited outside the Gym this time, as they wanted to see whether or not they'd be done with Violet City already, or they'd have to wait until next morning for the chance to continue.

"Think she's got what it takes?" Eddy whispered to Kevin.

"I hope so. Otherwise we're gonna be here all week. Ryuji said we've only got so long before the League tournament."

"What Gym you think she'll quit on? My money's on third."

"Second. I don't think she's gonna be patient enough to get to three."

"Would you two please just have some faith in your traveling companion?" Double D demanded quietly.

"No," they told him in perfect unison.

"Look, I know she's not the most patient of individuals, but it's rude to talk about others behind their ba-"

"Here she comes!"

Ed's declaration drew the attention of the three boys, as the door to the Gym opened up once again. Not fifteen minutes had passed since she entered, but now she stepped back outside, her new Mareep in tow, and a confident smile on her face.

"Take a good look, losers!" she exclaimed proudly, showing off the badge for everyone else. "Now I've got my first badge."

"Excellent work, she whose mouth is loud like Papa's summer shorts," Rolf commended. "You have beaten the master of the skies, and your sheep's fleece is looking more bountiful than ever."

"You try and shave my Mareep, I shave your head," Sarah warned him. "So now we can call it a day, right?"

"Ah, what, you wanna bow out early?" Gold asked her incredulously. "C'mon, the sun hasn't even gone down yet, and we got a whole route to explore. Let's keep goin'!"

Whispers began among the group, until Double D decided to step in and say what was on their minds. "I think that would be an unwise decision. Being out in the woods at night without proper gear seems quite dangerous."

"Well, you're gonna have to do it at some point," countered Gold, placing a hand on his hip impatiently. "Ryuji, you're with me on this, right?"

The brunette looked to the newest member of the group with a look of conflict. "Well... don't get me wrong, I love nature as much as the next guy, but I've been trying to take it easy on 'em. They're brand new, after all."

"So are you. Isn't that what'cha told me?"

Ryuji said nothing, and Gold smirked.

"I rest my case. Trust me, it'll be a good learning experience for you guys. And plus, it's not like we'll be camping out there. They got a Pokemon Center just outside of Union Cave, and we can rest there for the night."

"Could ya not have just led with that?" Eddy asked. "Probably would have sold 'em on it sooner."

To this, Gold shrugged.

"Now then," he continued. "I'll be your tour guide through Route 32. I've already been down it a bit, and I think you'll love it."

And so, the party began this trek, following Gold down the trail and through the patches of tall grass, as the sun finally vanished from the sky, and they were greeted with the darkest of nights. It was long, arduous, and most of all, filled with challenges.

The group split off around the halfway mark, with the Eds and Ryuji joining together to take the land path, and Gold and the others taking the path by the waters. It wasn't until nearly 10:00 pm that they were finally done, due to the sheer amount of battles, a few close calls with wild Pokemon that ended less-than-ideally, and only one successful capture by Kevin for Nazz.

But in the end, it was well worth the trouble.

They wasted no time cramming into the Pokemon Center, and once again, Ryuji was kind enough to pay for rooms for everyone. Sleep overtook most of the party, who were admittedly very exhausted after such an experience.

However, in Room 4, Double D could not keep his eyes closed.

Pulling out Chikorita from his Poke Ball, he held her close as he eyed the egg over. To think that Elm entrusted him with such a massive responsibility was both a boost to his confidence, and a boost to his anxiety. Would he truly be able to care for a baby Pokemon? Could he handle raising it, and ensuring it grew up strong? And what of battle? Would he truly be willing to challenge trainers with an infant?

Some part of him said no, and shuddered at the thought of what could happen if he'd dared to do so.

"I hope I can be an adequate caretaker to this Pokemon," he said to no one in particular. "Once it hatches, I'll have to do some research into its diet and behavioral patterns... I sure hope its needs are within my power to provide."

"(Oh, you'll be fine,)" the Grass Type assured as best she could. "(I know you will do a wonderful job taking care of our new teammate. You've been so sweet to me and Pidgey, that this should be a cinch.)"

Double D smiled, and Chikorita raised her leaf, bringing it up to his nose. He took in the familiar aroma once again, enjoying the soothing sweetness.

"Thank you, Chikorita," he told her, having gotten a bit of the worry out of his system. "You've been such a help to me lately. I appreciate it more than I could articulate."

"(Aww, you're welcome,)" she said, nuzzling into his chest. "(It's all for you, my darling.)"

Double D chuckled. "It's funny. I don't understand anything you're trying to communicate to me, and yet I feel a strong connection to you. You've become like a friend, rather than just a member of my team. I think that bodes well, personally."

Glancing over to the clock, Double D noticed the time.

"Oh dear. I should be in bed by now."

Returning Chikorita to his Poke Ball, he fell back onto the bed, and let his thoughts wander. Today was a great day. Only the second in his journey, and they had already obtained their first badge. And at the rate they've made it, who knows how long it would be before the next one?

He honestly could not wait to see what tomorrow would entail.

* * *

Ryuji's eyes scanned the cave, searching for his next Pokemon. This early, various Rock and Ground Types were all wandering around, scrounging for food or going to battle one another. The options were all there and ripe for the picking, and he just needed to actually pick.

And pick, he did.

From the corner of his eye, Ryuji noticed it. With a gleaming armored shell, claws that were reasonably sharp, and a particular bounce in every step, he watched as the Ground Type moved over to a corner, scarfing down a berry as quick as it could.

 _'Perfect choice, Ryuji,'_ he thought as he pulled a Poke Ball out. _'Now all I gotta do is catch it...'_

Without a moment wasted, he chucked the ball, flying at high speeds directly toward the Sandshrew. Before it even had time to react, the ball had tapped it on the head, and enveloped the rodent in the light of capture. As it fell to the ground, Ryuji watched as one massive shake occurred, and...

DING!

A satisfied grin overtook the boy, as he picked the ball up, compacted it, and placed it on his belt. A 'Critical Capture', as it was known, allowing him to add the Pokemon to his roster without a need for conflict. And to make matters better, it was early morning, and he could be back before anyone else had woken up.

Walking toward the exit of the cave, Ryuji entered the Pokemon Center, waiting for everyone to finally get up. Releasing his newest teammate from its ball, the Sandshrew looked around with great curiosity.

"(W-where am I?)" he asked tentatively. "(What is this place?)"

"Hey there, little guy," Ryuji greeted, offering the Ground Type a berry. "I'm Ryuji. I just caught you, now you're on my team, and I want to train you to be strong. Would you like that?"

 _'Get strong...? Could this guy do that?'_ Sandshrew questioned, as he took a bite of this second fruit. The idea sounded good, especially given everything that had happened only a few minutes before he got captured.

And so, he nodded, leaving Ryuji as happy as could be.

"Excellent," he said, "And plus, you've got friends to meet. I told 'em 8:00, so they should be arriving right about..."

The mechanical doors of the Pokemon Center Rooms whirred open, and he heard footsteps.

"Now."

Eddy was the first one down the stairs, followed by Jimmy, then Rolf, then Gold, and so on. The final one down the stairs was Double D, who was taking great care with the container in his arms. The egg from before was housed within, and the blonde guarded it like one would expect a mother to protect a child.

"Mornin' boys," Ryuji told them.

"Looks like you've been up and at 'em without us," Kevin said, looking at the new 'Mon. "What's that little dude called?"

Ryuji was about to answer, but Gold wasted no time butting in. "That's a Sandshrew. It's a slow, bulky Ground Type, especially on the physical end of the spectrum."

Pulling out his Pokedex, he scanned the creature, and was extremely satisfied with what he saw.

"And by the looks of it, this one's a rarity among his kind."

"Whatd'ya mean?" Eddy asked. "Looks like any other Sandshrew I've ever seen."

"That's because you don't know what I know," Gold countered. "This one's got the Hidden Ability Sand Rush."

"Hidden Ability?"

Gold rolled his eyes. "I can't even blame you for that one. They're really rare Abilities that some Pokemon can have. For Sandshrew, it gets Sand Rush, which makes it stupid fast in a Standstorm."

Everyone's attention was turned to the little critter, as they watched it finish its breakfast. The only exception was Gold, who had his eyes set on a different subject.

"I have to wonder, though," Gold asked. "What are the odds of that happenin'? You go out and you come back with a Sandshrew, and to top it all of, a rare Sandshrew."

"Guess I've got luck on my side," Ryuji told him nonchalantly.

"Quite... so what's on the agenda for today, you lucky bastard?"

"Well, obviously we're goin' through the Union Cave. If I remember correctly, there's a town on the other side with a Gym in it, and we can take the rest of the day to mess around and train up, if need be. Sound good?"

A collective nod was his answer.

"Spectacular. Now, let's have a quick breakfast and get moving."

Their orders were placed, food was delivered, and within half an hour, everyone was ready to go once again. The group began to leave the Pokemon Center once everything was settled. Nazz was one of the last ones out, and was eager to see what the day held for them.

Then, she felt a hand grasp her shoulder. Looking back, she saw Kevin, who was looking at her nervously.

"So babe, uh..." he stammered. "Do you like the Mareep?"

Nazz smiled. Kevin had caught her a Mareep yesterday, and thankfully this one didn't try to shock either of them. She looked to its Poke Ball, and gave him a hug.

"It's wonderful, dude," she told him. "You rock."

Pride swelled in his chest as she told him that.

"I'm glad that this region has so many cute Pokemon," she mused. "I can't wait to see what the new town has."

"Well, don't just repeat that last part. After you."

* * *

The dark, musty air of the cave permeated, as Sarah's opponent flapped her wings, fluttering over as she tried to strike first.

"Mareep, use Thunder Shock!" she commanded, as the Zubat landed an unimpressive Astonish attack, only to be greeted with a healthy dose of Static for it's troubles. The ability was further compounded by the jolt of electric energy that came immediately thereafter. Letting out a high pitched screech, the bat backed off, and looked at Mareep angrily.

"(H-how... d-dare you t-t-tarnish m-my perfec-ct-t coat,)" she said shakily, the paralysis kicking in rather hard. Mareep just looked at her belligerently.

"(You're the one who got in OUR way, loser,)" the sheep said. "(But don't worry, we'll make it up to you.)"

Right at that exact moment, Sarah pulled out a Poke Ball, and threw it with all the might she could muster. It nearly knocked out Zubat with that move, but the Poison Type barely hung on as it was brought into the capsule. It barely had enough strength to fight after that move, and none left over to resist the capturing effect.

And as easy as one, two, three, Zubat was now a member of Sarah's team.

"Alright!" she said excitedly, picking up the Poke Ball and immediately scanning it with her Pokedex (a trick she had learned thanks to Kevin). Looking over its stats, she was pleased with what she saw.

"Alright, this guy oughta be able to do something," she said to herself. "Unlike SOME Pokemon I know..."

"(Are you talking about me?)" Mareep questioned. "(Because if so, I'm offended!)"

"Not bad, Mareep," she told her Electric Type, not understanding a word of what it said. "Return!"

Once he was safely back in his Poke Ball, Sarah turned around to see the rest of the group had finally caught up. She'd stepped away during a battle with the Firebreather Fukuo, so she could only infer her brother won that fight.

"It's about time!" she said impatiently. "I was able to catch something new before you guys got here."

"Well sorry none of us decided to RUSH OFF AHEAD while one of their friends had a battle," Eddy countered.

"I'm behind on catchin' Pokemon, and I'm not gonna lose the League because you guys want me to watch you get stronger!"

"Yeah, but we should still stick together," Gold told her. "What if Team Rocket were in this cave?"

Sarah scoffed. "Don't act like I'm stupid. Double D said Team Rocket isn't a thing anymore!"

"Aw, how cute. She doesn't believe in us."

A chill ran up Sarah's, Gold's, and especially the Eds' spines, as they heard that gruff and arrogant voice filled the area. Once they felt it fade, their attention was brought toward the source of the sound.

Two men, dressed almost entirely in black, with the exception of a massive red 'R' on the front of their shirts. They sauntered over confidently, staring down the party like a Pyroar eyeing a carcass.

"Looks like that redhead was right," the first man said, "A whole host of trainers, ripe for a beating."

"Oh yeah," the other agreed. "And look at the one with the stupid hat. See what he's got in his hands?"

Double D tensed, holding tightly to the egg's container.

"And the boy with the basket on his back, makes you wonder what goodies he's got in there," the first man continued. "Looks like we've hit the jackpot."

Whispers began among the party. What were they talking about? What was that about a redhead? And why in the world would they want the Pokemon egg? There was so much that could have been asked, but it wasn't out of a sense of worry. This was the first time a trainer wanted to TAKE something from them, instead of just having a battle for a prize.

Such an experience was certainly a shock for most of them.

What was more shocking however, was what came next.

"Should have known Team Rocket wouldn't be done," Ryuji said angrily, pulling out his Poke Ball and unleashing Sandshrew. "You wanna get them, you'll have to get through me!"

"Aw, look at that, the boy wants to be a hero," one of the Rockets taunted. "Well too bad, kid. You're going down!"

"Afraid not," Gold told them tauntingly. "In case you haven't noticed in all you bluster and fumes, you're severely outnumbered. But even then..."

The Johto trainer removed the straps that held his basket, and took it in his arms.

"It won't take more than two of us to take you down. Ed!"

The boy immediately came to the forefront of the crowd, accidentally knocking over Kevin in the process, as he stood there awaiting directions.

"Take my basket, and get out of the cave," he explained. "Me and Ryuji'll handle this one."

"You got it, Booster Gold!" Ed answered, taking the basket into his arms.

Both Rockets threw their Poke Balls into the air, and out from them came a pair of Rattata. Not missing a beat, they commanded Tackles aimed at the kids as they tried to get by. They managed to knock Jimmy down, and the boy screamed in horror as one of the two Pokemon glared at him, looking ready to attack at any moment. The rocket smirked, and called for another Tackle...

"Wooper! Mud Shot!"

From Gold's Poke Ball, the Water Type burst forward and unleashed a torrent of mud from its mouth, slamming right into Rattata's face as it tried to attack Jimmy. While this was happening, the others used this opportunity to escape, the other Rattata not being enough of a problem to slow them down.

"(Agh!)" the rat cried out, trying desperately to rub the gunk from its eyes. "(I can't see! Where's that stupid fish, I'll kill it!)"

"(I defy you to try, you dirty rat,)" Wooper said, trying his best to be intimidating. "(Hey Sandshrew, you wanna help me take them down?)"

The Ground type looked to the opponents, and nodded. "(I uh... I don't know how much I'll be able to do. B-but I promise I'll help.)"

Grunt B looked to Gold with disdain. "You've got a lotta nerve, kid. Just who the hell do you think you are?"

"You're looking at the future champion of the Indigo League," boasted Gold. "It'll take a miracle for you to beat me."

"Bah. We've met a buncha wannabe Reds just like you who thought they could stop Team Rocket. You'll be no different!"

"Prove it then, assholes!" he taunted, before looking over to his teammate. "You up for this, Ryuji?"

The brunette nodded. Nothing else needed to be said, and their battle began.

"Quick attack!" both Rocket Grunts said in unison.

With an incredible burst of speed, both Rattata's closed the distance, attempting to overwhelm Wooper with blinding speed. The first one landed its hit no problem, but knocking Wooper back made the second miss his mark only slightly.

"Mud Shot while it's right by your face, Wooper!"

The second Rattata tried to get away in time, but the attack came before it could fully dodge, and just like its ally before, a blast of mud caught it right in the eyes, lowering its Speed as well as dealing heavy damage.

"Defense Curl!" Ryuji called out, his voice even-toned. Sandshrew did as commanded, compacting his body slightly, as a red aura enveloped him, raising his Defense in the process.

"What's the matter, kid?" One of the Rockets taunted. "Too scared to actually fight back?"

Ryuji did not answer.

"Hmph... Keep actin' all high and mighty. Won't change a thing! Double up on that Sandshrew!"

With the command given, Ryuji watched as the two Normal Types tried their hardest to make their way over to his Pokemon. The first hit was taken no problem, as the Rattata was thrown face first into the rocky ground behind Sandshrew, right when the second one landed its strike.

Unfortunately for that one, such an act was exactly what Ryuji was hoping for.

"Now Sandshrew! Rollout!"

Gold's smile grew as he watched the Ground Type act on his given orders. Before Rattata could even react, his opponent jumped up, and slammed him into the floor below with intense vigor. As if the initial impact wasn't bad enough, Sandshrew began to roll around with considerable speed, dealing an unreasonable amount of damage with a single Rollout.

"Ah crap!" Grunt #1 said as he noticed his Rattata, barely able to stand after he finally fell off Sandshrew. "Get outta there!"

"Oh no ya don't!" Gold countered, throwing his arm out. "Water Gun!"

Wooper didn't miss a beat, shooting out a blast of pressurized water right into the side of the Normal Type. The damage was too much for it to take, and it fell, completely drained of stamina, and unable to continue.

"(Alright!)" Wooper cried out. "(That's what I like to see!)"

Grunt #2 gritted his teeth in anger. These two kids were making fools of them! For all the bluster of the yellow-eyed one, he seemed to have the might to back it up. Such a fact only increased his ire.

"I've had enough of this!" Grunt #2 declared. "Rattata! Take down that damn Wooper!"

"(You're goin' down!)" the rat squeaked, as he rushed forward with a powerful Quick Attack. A critical hit, for sure, as the damage knocked Wooper off its feet effortlessly. The Rocket smirked, seeing the damage his 'Mon had delivered.

A smirk that faded almost immediately when Sandshrew came back around. Rollout was a cruel mistress, the built-up momentum increasing the damage even further. A direct hit found Rattata, slamming into its body and knocking it right in front of the two Rockets. They looked to Ryuji and Gold with utter horror.

"What's wrong?" Gold taunted, hitting both Rockets with the same glare they'd had toward the group earlier. "You were talkin' all that good shit before, weren't ya? C'mon and back it up!"

Neither one could answer him. They had thought this would be easy, but these two had taken them down in only two rounds of combat. It wasn't as simple as attacking them before they could retaliate. These two could fight back better than any recent opponent...

The boss would not be happy to hear about this.

Seeing no other option, both Rockets rushed the opposite direction, eager to get as far away from the duo as possible. Meanwhile, Wooper and Sandshrew celebrated, the Water Type jumping in the air, and the Ground Type letting the adrenaline wear off after that attack combo.

"(W-wow... I actually did it!)" Sandshrew said happily. "(I can't believe I actually pulled that off!)"

"(Looks like all you needed was a good trainer to guide you,)" Wooper told him. "(That Ryuji's got a good head on his shoulders.)"

"(You think so?)"

Wooper nodded. "(Stick with him, and you'll go far. Possibly even to the League. That's where me and Gold are going.)"

"(...The 'League'?)"

"(Yep! And plus, then we could work together more. You and me were a good team out there, don't you think?)"

Sandshrew smiled, enjoying the mud fish's friendly nature. Perhaps he was correct, being with Ryuji could make him so much stronger. And considering the morning he had, news like that was welcome indeed.

And so, Sandshrew nodded, excited to work with Wooper in their future endeavors.

* * *

Everyone stopped to catch their breath outside the cave, the worry having not died down after that incident. There were many things they expected that day, but a Rocket attack was not one of them.

"Is everyone okay?" Double D asked, scanning their numbers to ensure no one got separated. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw no one missing, but it was short lived, as Kevin came up to him.

"What the heck, Double Dweeb!?" He asked indignantly. "I thought you said Team Rocket was gone!"

"I'd also said that was three years ago in this world, according to Ryuji," he corrected. "Some devout members of the group must be trying to recreate it."

"Fantastic. So now we're gonna have to deal with those idiots too?"

"Potentially. If so, we must remain cautious, my friends. Team Rocket is quite the dangerous organization."

"What do they actually do?" Nazz questioned.

Double D thought on it for a moment, summoning memories of his own experience through Pokemon Blue. He'd paid close attention to the dialogue, and noticed a number of offenses that were certainly worth mentioning. Though some among them were quite horrifying, he knew they had to be brought up.

"Larceny, both of property and Pokemon, destruction of private property, unlawful occupation of the Pokemon Tower, murder of Pokemon, as well as an attempted hostile takeover of the Silph Company. And that was only in the games. Here, they might be even more depraved than that. Hence why we need to be on our guard while dealing with matters regarding Team Rocket. Agreed?"

A collective nod was his answer, and he could breathe easy upon seeing that.

He could breathe doubly easy when he saw the two Rockets running away in fear. It didn't take a genius to figure out what happened there, and that meant that they'd have their friends back soon enough.

A hearty laugh escaped Eddy as he watched them flee like scared children. "Looks like they won't be gettin' our stuff today! Idiots!"

"And I protected the basket!" Ed said happily.

"Speaking of which, what's in that thing anyhow?" Kevin questioned. "He's not let us see it yet."

"I'm certain there's a reason for that, you two," Double D told them. "We need to be patient an-"

A flourish of the sheet being pulled interrupted Double D's thoughts, as Eddy looked at the contents of the basket in sheer amazement.

"What in Sam Hill are you doing, Eddy!?" Double D asked, crossing his arms at his friend's behavior. "You're violating Gold's privacy!"

When Eddy didn't give a response, his annoyance was only furthered. He walked over, intent to give his friend an earful over that, but before he could even get a word out, he was stunned silent by the sight before him. Whatever he had been expecting to be in the basket, it was nowhere near as exciting as what had actually been revealed to the party:

Pokemon eggs.

Five of them, all of various colors and patterns, each contained in a capsule much like the one Double D carried. There was a purple one, a dark teal one, two yellow and black ones, and a dark blue one, all of varying sizes, but still exceptionally large.

"Jeepers, Gold was carrying that on his back?" Jimmy asked, his eye on the dark teal one in particular. "That must have been so heavy."

"Rolf is impressed," said Rolf. "Perhaps gangly Gold boy is a son of a shepherd as well."

"I'm more curious where he got them," Double D noted. "How did he come to possess five Pokemon eggs?"

"My father, if you must know."

Double D jumped at the sound of their newest fiend's voice, and slowly turned around to see the Johto trainer looking at him with a grin of both amusement and annoyance.

"Though while we're speaking on parents," he continued. "Didn't your mothers ever teach you it was rude to go through people's stuff without their permission?"

"In our defense, can ya blame us?" Eddy countered. "Not every day ya come across someone wearing a basket on their back."

Gold shook his head. "Well, I would have shown you, but I got distracted with getting us to the Pokemon Center. Now get back, will ya?"

The party stepped away, as the boy took out the purple egg's capsule. He looked to them with a warm smile, and nodded.

"Four of these are my father's work, like I said," he explained. "He's a breeder, you see, and I always wanted to start breeding Pokemon of my own. The light yellow and black one is my own creation, and my dad entrusted me with the other ones, asking me to give 'em to trainers who I thought deserved them."

Double D raised his eyebrow at this. "Is that why you decided to travel with us, Gold?"

"Well, I'm damn sure keeping my eyes out to see if you guys deserve an egg," he answered honestly. "But after what just happened, I do think I've got ONE candidate in mind."

Without another word, he turned around, and walked over to where Ryuji was. Placing the egg's container in his hands left him shocked, as he glanced between it and Gold.

"Wait, you're entrusting me with an egg?" Ryuji questioned. "Did I really leave that good a first impression?"

Gold chuckled at the brunette. "Something like that. That one's a bit closer to hatching than the rest, and I think you'll like what's inside."

"Well, what IS inside?"

He got no answer initially. Instead, the boy went to cover the eggs once again, and made sure they were in proper position. His movements were quick, clearly practiced, as he got the basket set back up, and hoisted it onto its proper place right above his backpack.

"I'd tell you," Gold finally answered. "But that'd ruin the surprise. And besides, I think someone like you oughta be able to handle whatever hatches from it."

Ryuji shrugged. "Well, I'll try not to let you down, then."

"Excellent... as for the rest of you!"

Practically everyone else in the group had their attention locked on Gold, as he looked to them with a scrutinizing gaze.

"You're all in the running for the other eggs," he explained. "But don't try to compete over who gets them. You don't know jack squat about what'll make me pick ya, and if you try to convince me, it might end up hurtin' your chances more than helping. Just focus on your guys' adventure, and we'll figure it out as we go. Got it?"

"Yessir," Eddy said, elated at the prospect.

"You can count on it," Kevin told him.

"Rolf will, as they say, keep his eyes on the prize."

"Don't worry dude," Nazz told him. "Taking it easy is like, my natural talent."

"I won't upset you, Mr. Gold," was Jimmy's response. "I promise!"

"Alright, good to hear," Gold told the party, pointing behind them. "And if you like that, you'll love this."

Following his finger, their sights were set upon a town in the distance. A lovely little settlement not too far off, but somewhat obscured by all the trees. Even so, civilization was a welcome sight, and to make matters better, it was only a hop, skip, and a jump away.

"The next Gym is out that way," Gold explained. "Azalea town, home of Gym Leader Tsukushi, and famous for their Slowpoke Tails. You guys excited?"

"You kiddin'?" Eddy asked. "Let's get a move on! I'll show that suku-whatever who's boss!"

Being that he was the first one to rush off, it wasn't even a second later before Double D and Ed chased after them. The others were not far behind, with Kevin, Rolf, Nazz, and Sarah having made a beeline in that direction. The only ones left were Jimmy, Gold, and Ryuji.

"Are you guys coming?" Jimmy asked the two politely.

"We'll catch up. Me and Ryuji basically agreed to check out the catches first things first."

"Oh... okay. If you see anything cute, you'll tell me, right?"

"You have my word," Ryuji told him. "See ya later."

"See you."

Jimmy scampered off toward the town at that, leaving behind only them. Neither one said anything for a few moments, checking to make sure he was completely gone. Once they were sure, it was time for a discussion.

"So, why'd you give me the egg?"

A discussion which Ryuji wasted no time getting into.

"I told you," Gold answered. "I think you'll like what's inside. And besides, you've definitely proven you have talent."

"Well, thanks, but it's just surprising. I mean, you've seen me battle once."

"And I liked what I saw. It was like watching a completely different person, you know?"

Ryuji tensed. He did not like the way Gold said that...

"But hey, enough about that. Let's see what Route 33 has to offer, yeah?"

A wave of relief washed over Ryuji, as he went over to the tall grass with his new companion. Today was a wild day, and Gold's antics were only adding fuel to this fire. And to make matters worse, now they knew Team Rocket was here.

 _'Seriously, what the hell?'_ Ryuji thought. _'I thought they were gone. But now they're here, causing trouble in Johto?'_

Anger was not an emotion he expressed too often, but when he saw Team Rocket, his blood boiled. After what they did three years ago, who wouldn't be angry to see them? And if they were in the Union Cave, that meant they had to be close by, correct?

_'Hell, for all we know, they could be working out of Azalea Town. That'd suck. But at the same time...'_

His mind couldn't help but wander, as the implications of Team Rocket being nearby were no good. And yet, part of him welcomed the challenge. They were all reasonably skilled for novice trainers, and they had numbers on their side. Perhaps it was a problem that was within their power to solve.

But he couldn't ask them to get involved... could he?

"Hey!"

Gold's voice pulled the 14-year-old out of his thoughts. There he was, already in the tall grass, looking to Ryuji impatiently.

"You comin' or what?"

"R-right... sorry."

* * *

**PARTY DATA:**

**EDDY**

Cyndaquil

\- Male

\- Level 11

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Quiet Nature

\- Alert to Sounds

\- Moves: Tackle, Leer, Smokescreen, Ember

Krabby

\- Male

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Hyper Cutter

\- Jolly Nature

\- Likes to Fight

\- Moves: Vise Grip, Bubble, Mud Sport, Leer

Spearow

\- Female

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Keen Eye

\- Impish Nature

\- Scatters Things Often

\- Moves: Growl, Peck, Leer, Pursuit

Hoppip

\- Female

\- Level 9

\- Ability: Leaf Guard

\- Lax Nature

\- Highly Curious

\- Moves: Absorb, Tackle, Synthesis, Tail Whip

**ED**

Totodile

\- Male

\- Level 11

\- Ability: Torrent

\- Jolly Nature

\- Somewhat of a Clown

\- Moves: Scratch, Leer, Water Gun, Rage

Rattata

\- Male

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Guts

\- Adamant Nature

\- A Little Quick Tempered

\- Moves: Bite, Tail Whip, Quick Attack, Focus Energy

Rocky (Onix)

\- Male

\- Level 12

\- Ability: Sturdy

\- Hasty Nature

\- Sturdy Body

\- Moves: Tackle, Curse, Bind, Rock Tomb

**DOUBLE D**

Chikorita

\- Female

\- Level 11

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Gentle Nature

\- Good Endurance

\- Moves: Tackle, Growl, Razor Leaf, Poison Powder

Pidgey

\- Male

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Keen Eye

\- Sassy Nature

\- Scatters things Often

\- Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust

**KEVIN**

Treecko

\- Male

\- Level 12

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Lax Nature

\- Thoroughly Cunning

\- Moves: Pound, Leer, Absorb, Quick Attack

Spinarak

\- Female

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Insomnia

\- Naïve Nature

\- Alert to Sounds

\- Moves: Infestation, Poison Sting, String Shot, Absorb

Gastly

\- Male

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Levitate

\- Serious Nature

\- Likes to Relax

\- Moves: Hypnosis, Lick, Spite, Mean Look

Ekans

\- Female

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Intimidate

\- Bashful Nature

\- Quick Tempered

\- Moves: Leer, Wrap, Poison Sting

**ROLF**

Chimchar

\- Female

\- Level 11

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Naughty Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Scratch, Leer, Ember, Taunt

Geodude

\- Male

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Sturdy

\- Careful Nature

\- Loves to Eat

\- Moves: Tackle, Defense Curl, Rollout, Rock Polish

Poliwag

\- Male

\- Level 11

\- Ability: Water Absorb

\- Brave Nature

\- Good Endurance

\- Moves: Water Sport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble

Hoothoot

\- Female

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Keen Eye

\- Gentle Nature

\- Often lost in Thought

\- Moves: Foresight, Peck, Tackle, Hypnosis

**NAZZ**

Popplio

\- Female

\- Level 5

\- Ability: Torrent

\- Calm Nature

\- Often Lost in Thought

\- Moves: Pound, Growl, Water Gun

Sentret

\- Male

\- Level 2

\- Ability: Run Away

\- Bashful Nature

\- Likes to Fight

\- Moves: Scratch, Foresight

Caterpie

\- Female

\- Level 4

\- Ability: Shield Dust

\- Calm Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Tackle, String Shot

Mareep

\- Female

\- Level 6

\- Ability: Static

\- Modest Nature

\- Hates to Lose

\- Moves: Growl, Tackle, Thunder Wave

**SARAH**

Rowlet

\- Male

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Overgrow

\- Brave Nature

\- Likes to Relax

\- Moves: Tackle, Growl, Leafage, Peck

Mareep

\- Male

\- Level 9

\- Ability: Static

\- Quirky Nature

\- Likes to Thrash About

\- Moves: Growl, Tackle, Thunder Wave, Thunder Shock

Zubat

\- Female

\- Level 9

\- Ability: Inner Focus

\- Mild Nature

\- Somewhat Vain

\- Moves: Absorb, Supersonic, Astonish

**JIMMY**

Litten

\- Male

\- Level 11

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Hardy Nature

\- Quick Tempered

\- Moves: Scratch, Growl, Ember, Lick

Horsea

\- Female

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Swift Swim

\- Docile Nature

\- Study Body

\- Moves: Bubble, Smokescreen, Leer

Kakuna

\- Male

\- Level 9

\- Ability: Shed Skin

\- Lonely Nature

\- Likes to Fight

\- Moves: Poison Sting, String Shot, Harden

**RYUJI**

Fennekin

\- Female

\- Level 13

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Mild Nature

\- Mischievous

\- Moves: Scratch, Tail Whip, Ember, Howl

Poliwag

\- Female

\- Level 12

\- Ability: Water Absorb

\- Docile Nature

\- Sturdy Body

\- Moves: Water Sport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble

Bellsprout

\- Male

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Chlorophyll

\- Hasty Nature

\- Loves to Eat

\- Moves: Vine Whip, Growth

Sandshrew

\- Male

\- Level 8

\- Ability: Sand Rush

\- Timid Nature

\- Quick to Flee

\- Moves: Defense Curl, Poison Sting, Rollout, Sand Attack

**GOLD**

Quilava

\- Male

\- Level 14

\- Ability: Blaze

\- Rash Nature

\- Capable of Taking Hits

\- Moves: Quick Attack, Leer, Ember, Smokescreen

Pidgey

\- Female

\- Level 13

\- Ability: Keen Eye

\- Mild Nature

\- Nods off a lot

\- Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack

Wooper

\- Male

\- Level 10

\- Ability: Water Absorb

\- Bold Nature

\- Highly Persistent

\- Moves: Tail Whip, Water Gun, Mud Sport, Mud Shot


End file.
